Sick and Tired! Do Negative Political Ads Work on Arizona Voters?
You can't watch an online video on any platform without seeing a political ad or being interrupted partway through viewing the thing you really wanted to watch.
Even streaming services—once advertising-free zones—are now rife with polarized political venom. Ads appear on television, the internet, in the middle of podcasts, and on the radio. Your phyiscal mailbox and email inbox is overflowing with "advice" on how to vote in campaigns and on ballot initiatives.
If advertisers could figure out how to beam political advertising directly into your brain, they'd jump at the chance.
It's exhausting.
"This guy is awful, and a vote for him is putting this country in jeopardy!"
"That woman is terrible. If you vote for her, the world will end!"
No matter the message—the ads implore—if you vote for the wrong person, our country is doomed.
Do Political Ads Sway Voter Opinion in Arizona?
When you hear an ad for a candidate, do you stop and wonder who believes this hype? After all, you can hear the bias and know the truth behind the hyperbole. We asked the question: who is being swayed by political advertising?
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You might be surprised to learn that the ads are more effective than you might think. This political season, Arizona has been inundated with political advertising more than ever before. It's not your imagination: as a swing state, the candidates hope to sway hearts and minds and scoop up as many votes as possible.
If you're the type of voter who won't be swayed, the ads only underscore your existing confirmation bias. However, for voters still on the fence about who or what to vote for, the ads could affect how they choose to vote.
According to some studies, political ads can significantly influence voter turnout and choices, especially in close races. Other research indicates political ads have limited persuasive power.
If you've already decided, you're unlikely to be swayed by opposing ads. So why does the onslaught persist?
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Will Negative Ads Sway Opinions in Arizona?
The impact of negative political advertising depends on several factors.
Negative ads, in particular, have been extensively studied. Do they actually sway voters' opinions? The results are mixed. As a general rule, experts don't think negative ads work well.
Tone, timing, and the audience's existing partisanship all heavily influence how much weight an ad receives from the viewer or listener.
Don't expect the relentless deluge of ads to stop any time soon. Arizona voters want election transparency, especially in light of the turmoil of the last few elections, but it's unlikely we'll get it.
What Arizona Voters REALLY Want
Most Arizona voters are waiting for the end of this election cycle. They've had enough of the rhetoric and mudslinging and just want life to return to normal. After voting day, everything will be better.
Unless, of course, the wrong candidate is voted into office. Then we're doomed.
(This message was not paid for by any political group or candidate. The author, like everyone else, just wants to stop seeing/hearing/reading the ads. She's tired, too.)
Sources: Crowley Media Group | Yale News | Cambridge University Press | The Journalist Resource | AZ Central | Arizona Capitol Times | Tucson.com
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