Previous studies of aggregated election returns have identified a local component to the vote in state election contests. The authors suggest that a geographical distribution of information about candidates produces these aggregate patterns and demonstrate that the farther a voter resides from a candidate's home media market, the less likely it is that the voter knows about the candidate. Furthermore, uncertainty associated with distance reduces the likelihood that a voter will select a candidate. This effect holds in partisan and nonpartisan (primary) contests. The findings call attention to the need for additional study of vehicles that transmit information at the local level.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Bartels, L.1988. Presidential primaries. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
2.
Bowler, S.1990. Voter perceptions and party strategies: An empirical approach . Comparative Politics23:61-84.
3.
Campbell, J., J. Alford, and K. Henry.1984. Television markets and congressional elections. Legislative Studies Quarterly9:665-78.
4.
Converse, P.1962. Information flow and the stability of partisan attachments . Public Opinion Quarterly26:578-99.
5.
Downs, A.1957. An economic theory of democracy. New York: Harper & Row.
6.
Ferejohn, J., and J. Kuklinski , eds. 1990. Information and democratic processes . Clucago: University of Illinois Press.
7.
Garand, J.1988. Localism and regionalism in presidential elections: Is there a home state or a regional advantage? Western Political Quarterly41:85-103.
8.
Jacobson, G., and S. Kernell.1983. Strategy and choice in congressional elections. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
9.
Key, V.O.1949. Southern politics. New York : Vintage.
10.
Lewis-Beck, M., and T. Rice.1983. Localism in presidential elections: The home state advantage. American Journal of Political Science26:548-56.
11.
Parker, A.1982. The friends and neighbors voting effect in the Galway West constituency. Political Geography Quarterly1 (3).
12.
Rice, T., and A. Macht.1987a. Friends and neighbors voting in statewide general elections. American Journal of Political Science31:448-52.
13.
—. 1987b. The hometown advantage: Mobilization or conversion ? Political Behavior9:257-76.
14.
Sniderman, P., R. Brody, and P. Tetlock.1991. Reasoning and choice: Explorations in political psychology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
15.
Stewart, C., and M. Reynolds.1990. Television markets and U. S. Senate elections. Legislative Studies Quarterly15:495-523.
16.
Tatalovich, R.1975. Friends and neighbors voting: Mississippi, 1943-73 . Journal of Politics37:807-15.
17.
Taylor, P., and R. Johnston.1979. Geography of elections. London: Croom Helm.
18.
Zaller, J.1989. Bringing converse back in: Modeling information flow in political campaigns. Political Analysis1:181-234.
