Evaluating Campaign Quality: Can the Electoral Process be Improved?

by L. Sandy Maisel , Darrell M. West , Brett M. Clifton

• ISBN13: 9780521877299
• ISBN10: 0521877296
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2007-04-30
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

For a number of years, voters and academic observers have been dissatisfied with a number of elements of American campaigns. Contemporary races are seen as too negative, too superficial, and too unfair or misleading. Based on these complaints, a variety of reform organizations have targeted millions of dollars to improve the situation. Through their efforts and those within the academic community, a wide range of reform initiatives have been undertaken, such as voluntary codes of conduct, industry self-regulation, certificate programs, tougher ethics rules for consultants, and the encouragement of more substantive venues. This book seeks to evaluate whether these activities have improved the level of campaign discourse and conduct in US House and Senate campaigns and argues that while individual reform efforts have achieved some of their stated objectives, the overall effect of these reform efforts has been disappointing.

Author Biography

Brett M. Clifton is Assistant Director of Administration and Programs and Lecturer in Public Policy at the Taubman Center for Public Policy at Brown University.

Table of Contents

Preface

Campaign reformers: optimists, skeptics, and rejectionists

Dissemination of campaign practices

Impact on campaign conduct

Impact on campaign discourse

Impact on public perceptions

Improving the system

Appendices

Data and methodology

Public opinion survey

Consultant survey

Focus group protocol

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