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Sep 10, 2024 · The results showed that televised debates did not significantly affect voter choice. “There’s this perception that debates are this great democratic tool where voters can find out...
- Political Debates Are Rooted in History
- Debates Are Central to Political Campaigns
- For voters, Debates Matter
Presidential debates are a historical linchpin of modern American politics. Debates put the major contenders on the same stage and allow voters the opportunity to see how candidates explain – and defend – their policy positions. Among the earliest reported examples of candidate debates in the United States were the 1858 U.S. Senate showdownsbetween...
However, since 1976, debates have been an integral part of modern presidential campaigns. In 1976, Republican incumbent Gerald Ford agreed to debate Democratic challenger Jimmy Carter because Ford was sagging in the polls after pardoning Nixon. There were three debates – the first on domestic policy, the second on international policy and the third...
Beyond tradition, there is considerable evidence from scholars in communication and political science that debates play important roles in our political system. Communication scholar Steven Chaffee has shown that debates can influence an individual’s vote choicewhen one of the candidates is relatively unknown, when many voters are undecided, when t...
Sep 10, 2024 · We gathered research to help journalists explain how presidential debates influence voters' decisions. These papers look at aggressive behavior on stage, the likelihood candidates' performance will change voters’ minds and other topics.
Sep 23, 2016 · Ultimately, the study suggests that televised debates help teach viewers about political issues, but they also help them ignore those issues in favor of clues about the candidates’ personalities.
Sep 20, 2016 · Debates can have an agenda-setting effect. Debates can alter perceptions of the candidates’ personality, but they do not exert a significant effect on perceptions of the candidates’ competence (leadership ability). Debates can affect vote preference.
Sep 6, 2024 · But earlier access to ballots – voters in key states such as North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin can begin voting via mail within days of the debate, with Pennsylvania voters able to vote early in person as well – means that any small post-debate changes could be consequential in 2024.
People also ask
Do voters change based on what they see during a presidential debate?
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The first debates between presidential candidates in a general election were held in 1960, when Democrat John F. Kennedy and Republican Richard M. Nixon had four televised debates. Those debates were sponsored by the three television networks then in operation—CBS, NBC, and ABC.
