Election-day Broadcasts and Terminal Voting Decisions

It is sought to determine the extent, it any, of the attect on voting behavior in the West Coast of radio & TV announcements of a Johnson-Humphrey victory before the closing of the polls in the 1964 presidential election. The results of 2 extensive studies are reported. There is agreement that early declarations of victory had little effect on voting turnout or vote switching. Considerable information is provided on procedures used & problems encountered in trying to measure the effects of such announcements. Prior commitment to candidates & its influence on terminal voting choices are explored. Time & salience of voting are considered as influences on exposure to election broadcasts. The effects of exposure are examined. Informal pol'al persuasion & abstention are discussed re informal attempts at personal persuasion & decisions to abstain. It is clear that there were no signif discrepancies between prior commitments & ultimate choices. M. Farber.