Do negative political ads/articles influence your vote?

[palmtreegirl]

I'm just curious if negative ads influence anyones vote at all. I know for myself I ignore them, they always come across so desperate to me.

Side note- I'm considered a swing voter since I have views that fall on both sides of the playing field and I have voted both parties in the past.

 

[jrydberg]

To me there is a big distinction between ads that substantively criticize policy positions and offer an alternative and ads that just attempt to tear into the character of a candidate. The former may cause me to rethink my vote, depending on the issues involved. The latter, IMO, is more a commentary on those peddling such ads than it is on the candidate being attacked.

 

[Abracadabra]

I watch the ads ... usually ending up either amused or annoyed by them. But they don't change my mind, so I'm not a swing or undecided voter by any means. That said, for some reason, this election year I am becoming less amused and more annoyed with each passing day. The seeming constant negative tone and strident partisanship on BOTH sides has worn way too thin. It's almost a win at any cost effort.

Why can't we all just get along for a change?

 

[EsmeraldaX]

None of the above.

My vote is not 100% solid. I know who I am 99% sure I'm voting for, it has nothing to do with political ads. It has to do with the candidates records that can be proven and the issues that are important to me and how close I come to agreeing with the candidate on them.

I would never say NOTHING would ever change my vote. Sure there are things that could.

I am also a swing voter and have also voted for both parties in the past.

I agree with jrydberg too. There is a difference between pure smear campaigns and ads that attempt to bring up the person voting record, or other things that can be fairly easily proved or disproved and don't bring up the person's character at all.

 

[caitycaity]

Originally posted by jrydberg
To me there is a big distinction between ads that substantively criticize policy positions and offer an alternative and ads that just attempt to tear into the character of a candidate. The former may cause me to rethink my vote, depending on the issues involved. The latter, IMO, is more a commentary on those peddling such ads than it is on the candidate being attacked.

I totally agree. a substantive ad might make me change my mind, but an ad that is the equivilent of "vote for me because my opponent wants to kill all children under the age of 5" or something stupid like that makes me just not like the person who approved the ad.

 

[Beauty]

Nope, I am pretty solid on who I will be voting for.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Ads that are always blasting the oposition cause me to want to purposely vote for the other side! I always figure the candidate who uses mud slinging isn't smart enough to come up with REAL thoughts, so he uses the negetive aproach.

 

[Mamu]

I try not to watch the ads.

There nothing but half-truths, words taken out of context, from a political party with an agenda.

 

[jimmiej]

Ads don't affect my vote. I'm 100% behind one party.