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Extra, Extra, (Don't) Roll-off about It! Newspaper Endorsements for Ballot Measures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 January 2021

Kevin Fahey ,
Carol S. Weissert  and
Matthew J. Uttermark
Kevin Fahey
Affiliation:
Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
Carol S. Weissert*
Affiliation:
Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
Matthew J. Uttermark
Affiliation:
Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
*
Carol S. Weissert, Florida State University, 600 W. Call Ave, Tallahasssee, FL 32306, USA. Email: cweissert@fsu.edu
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Abstract

Voters often have difficulty making choices on the myriad state constitutional amendments they vote on each year. Without partisan cues, they turn to other sources for these low-salience, high complexity measures. One such source is newspaper endorsements. In this article, we look at newspaper endorsements of ballot measures in Florida over 20 years both on “no” votes and roll-off. We argue that endorsements' effect on “no” votes and roll-off differs in ways not previously appreciated. Newspaper endorsements have a positive impact on no votes, as expected from the information theory of voter participation. Endorsements have little impact on roll-off, which we posit is because roll-off voters are not likely to seek information from newspapers. Thus, newspaper endorsements serve to persuade, but not entice, voters to vote for ballot measures.

Keywords

electionspolitical behaviordirect democracystate constitutionsvoting behaviorpolitical participationballot measuresnewspaper endorsements
Type
Research Article
Information
State Politics & Policy Quarterly , Volume 18 , Issue 1 , March 2018 , pp. 93 - 113
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2018

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