The Dynamics of Public Opinion in Direct Democracy Campaigns
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6416685 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Adrien Petitpas (0000-0001-7552-3939, University of Geneva, corresponding author), Pascal Sciarini (0000-0003-0782-7652, University of Geneva) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 55 |
| Publication date | 2025-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | British Journal of Political Science (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0007-1234 • E-ISSN: 1469-2112 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/s0007123425101105 |
| OpenAlex | W4417025712 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 58 |
Do initiative and referendum campaigns enable voters to make coherent decisions? Do the dynamics of opinion formation differ across ballot measures? Despite extensive research on direct democratic processes, these questions remain underexplored. Using rolling cross-section data on two citizen-sponsored initiatives in California and two referendums in Switzerland, we examine the dynamics of voters’ knowledge about party cues and arguments for and against ballot measures in the run-up to direct democratic votes. Moreover, we assess the extent to which these dynamics help voters to cast votes that are in line with their party cue and consistent with their position on arguments. The results present a nuanced picture: while campaigns increase voters’ knowledge and help them to make more coherent choices, there is significant variation across ballots in knowledge acquisition and resulting degree of in-line and consistent voting
Communication and Persuasion
The Nature and Origins of Mass Opinion
Do Campaigns Matter?
Educated by Initiative
Europe in Question
Demanding Choices
When Europe matters
Direct Democratic Choice
Negative Party Identification and the Use of Party Cues in the Direct Democratic Context
The Role of Policy and Party Information in Direct-Democratic Campaigns
Mi Piace, ma Non Mi Piaci [I Like It, But I Don't Like You]
Mobilized by Direct Democracy
Direct Democracy, Educative Effects, and the (Mis)Measurement of Ballot Measure Awareness
Taking Cues on Europe? Voter competence and party endorsements in referendums on European integration
Taking cues from the government
Ballot Initiatives and the Democratic Citizen
Political Campaigns and Open-Minded Thinking
The Mobilization Solution? Face-to-Face Contact and Voter Turnout in a Municipal Election
Campaign Effects and the Dynamics of Turnout Intention in Election 2000
Correct Voting in Direct Legislation
Political Engagement, Mobilization, and Direct Democracy
Trends
Campaigns Matter
Mobilizing the Seldom Voter
Direct Democracy and Political Efficacy Reconsidered
How Initiatives Don’t Always Make Citizens
Betting on Partisanship
It's the Campaign Learning Stupid
Partisan choices in a direct-democratic campaign
Direct Democracy
How Political Parties Shape Public Opinion in the Real World
Informing the Electorate? How Party Cues and Policy Information Affect Public Opinion about Initiatives
The Contingent Effects of Ballot Initiatives and Candidate Races on Turnout
Do Campaigns Help Voters Learn? A Cross-National Analysis
Democracy, Institutions and Attitudes about Citizen Influence on Government
The Use of the Endorsement Heuristic in Swiss Popular Votes
Why Do Citizens Vote Against Their Basic Political Values
Vote as you Think
Initiative Campaigns
What prevents knowledge inequalities among citizens from increasing? Evidence from direct-democratic campaigns in Switzerland
The rolling cross-section design
Bring the state (information) in
Political knowledge and campaign effects in the 2008 Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty
Opinion formation in foreign policy
Information availability and information use in ballot proposition contests
Shortcuts Versus Encyclopedias
Elite Influence on Public Opinion in an Informed Electorate
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |