The coattail effect can also be negative. In this case, an unpopular or controversial party leader or presidential candidate causes his or her party to suffer electoral losses elsewhere, such as in Congress or Parliament. Google Analytics tracking has been deactivated for this browser on this website. Since , the National Democratic Redistricting Committee has poured millions of dollars into gubernatorial and legislative races, in states including Georgia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida, Texas and at least seven other battlegrounds.
And some good-government groups, such as the League of Women Voters, have advocated non-partisan or more bipartisan reapportionment boards. Since , Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Ohio and others have made changes in their districting boards, from partisan to non-partisan or bipartisan—most within the past five years.
For several decades, Democrats have relied on face-to-face conversations with prospective voters as part of their electoral strategies. Historically, Republicans have relied more on mass media and direct mail to mobilise existing supporters, though they have been investing more in direct contact over the last years. Democratic candidates and aligned organisations decided early on in the pandemic not to engage in activities which would otherwise involve talking to voters in high-footfall traffic areas, such as shopping malls, or visiting voters at their homes.
Out of concern for the safety of their staff and broader public health, they opted instead to focus largely on virtual registration and turnout pushes, and education around vote-by-mail. Republicans, by contrast, increased both their voter registration and canvassing efforts.
Some studies have shown canvassing can increase voter turnout by as much as 6 per cent. Given the importance of polls in informing campaign strategy, public expectations and punditry, we should consider their shortcomings.
According to analysis by the Washington Post , represented the least accurate polling since the presidential election. People are less likely to answer unsolicited calls than they were a generation ago and those who are willing to answer may not be as reflective of the electorate.
Specifically, those who identify as supporters of Trump and the Republicans may be less likely to respond to polls due to their distrust of media outlets and civil-society institutions more generally.
Even with some weighting to adjust for not being able to talk to some Trump supporters, not having a baseline sample representative of them is likely skewing polls in some key states. But one thing is quite clear: a strong showing at the top of the ticket is not enough to buoy political fortunes for all. Democrats need to invest further in efforts outside the presidential races, particularly in those for the statehouses.
Foreign Policy U. Liberal Politics U. Kathy Gill. Politics Expert. Kathy Gill is a former instructor at the University of Washington, a former lobbyist, and spent 20 years working public affairs executive in the natural resources industry.
Updated April 11, Featured Video. Cite this Article Format. Gill, Kathy. What Is the Coattail Effect in Politics? What Is Redistricting? Definition and Examples. What Is Political Participation? About the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for ThoughtCo. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data.
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