01-12-2008, 05:21 AM
[quote x-uri]Somebody is suggesting that it was the order of the names on the ballot that skewed the vote to Senator Clinton.
http://www.abcnews.go.com/PollingUnit/De...id=4107883&page=1
Here is a paper that claims that this is a real effect (although they did not see anything approaching a 3% swing).
http://econrsss.anu.edu.au/~aleigh/pdf/BallotOrder.pdf (PDF link)
I have no doubt that ballot position effects vote at a lower level, I can't get my mind around the idea that people go to vote in a single purpose, hugely visable primary without knowing how they'll cast their vote.
I was once one of sixteen candidates for public office. There were paper ballots and we were rotated, I was at the top on every 16th ballot. Of course I was also on the bottom of every 16th. (my grandmother got one of those and complained bitterly to local precinct officials).
How does the present day system deal with ballot rotation and does anyone think ballot position is really a factor in a presidential primary?
http://www.abcnews.go.com/PollingUnit/De...id=4107883&page=1
Here is a paper that claims that this is a real effect (although they did not see anything approaching a 3% swing).
http://econrsss.anu.edu.au/~aleigh/pdf/BallotOrder.pdf (PDF link)
I have no doubt that ballot position effects vote at a lower level, I can't get my mind around the idea that people go to vote in a single purpose, hugely visable primary without knowing how they'll cast their vote.
I was once one of sixteen candidates for public office. There were paper ballots and we were rotated, I was at the top on every 16th ballot. Of course I was also on the bottom of every 16th. (my grandmother got one of those and complained bitterly to local precinct officials).
How does the present day system deal with ballot rotation and does anyone think ballot position is really a factor in a presidential primary?