Voter and Constituent Relations

Voter Relations

A political campaign is a communications event with important and enduring public policy consequences. How do candidates establish relationships with potential voters? In the 21st century the answer is equally divided between advanced technology and old-fashioned grass roots; it is concurrently accomplished through expensive advertising campaigns and heavy reliance on free news coverage and personal voter contact programs.

Since 1998 there has been a proliferation of the use of Web sites and e-mail contacts with potential voters in campaigns from the mayor's office to the Senate. Although these applications vary in sophistication and are used by voters who are typically highly involved in campaigns, they are becoming increasingly important.

At the same time that technology is facilitating voter relations, old-fashioned grassroots activities are resurfacing, also at all levels of office. Grassroots activities include all types of direct contact with voters: cookouts, door-to-door canvassing, and meetings. They typically rely on personal contact and communication between potential voters and the candidate or his or her surrogate. It is generally believed that the most persuasive grassroots activity provides personal contact with the actual candidate; surrogates who are directly linked to the candidate (spouse, family member) are the next tier; and anonymous volunteer surrogates follow. All personal contact via grassroots activities is highly regarded as an important element in electoral victory. One Republican political consultant, in an interview following the 2002 U.S. House of Representatives elections, indicated that a primary reason the Republicans did so well is that they've finally learned the grassroots techniques Democrats [Page 892]have practiced for years, and they're using them more effectively.

Political advertising appears across all broadcast and print media, as well as in outdoor, personal apparel and pre-recorded telephone messages. The amount and style of political advertisements are generally determined by the campaign budget combined with the availability and coverage of a particular medium. Although many Americans maintain that they dislike most political advertising, such ads on television are an important source of information for a majority of voters.

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