1. There are all sorts of polling biases in favor of pretending to do
things one clearly ought to, like reading state-prepared materials to
facilitate informed voting -- so one should view these results with a
high degree of skepticism.

2. That said, I don't think pointing out that most voters will not have
read these materials (which are truly daunting; an ex-girlfriend's 1998
CA guide looked more impenetrable than the IRS materials that cause
people to get professional help with their taxes) with any great
comprehension is disproved by the figures quoted below.

3. Still, of course, government OUGHT to make these materials available,
and not just by mail, but over the Internet -- including geotargeted ads
on relevant newspaper sites, etc....  

More information is good, and helping less than a majority is fine.  But
we definitively should NOT deter greater participation on some myth that
the current electorate is generally well-informed.  See, e.g.,
http://www.pipa.org/OnlineReports/Iraq/IraqRealities_Oct04/IraqRealities%20Oct04%20rpt.pdf
and other indications that significant swathes of Bush voters thought
all sorts of pro-Iraq War myths about WMDs, Saddam/Osama, etc....

----- Original Message -----
From: Holman@aol.com
Date: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 10:00 am
Subject: Re: voter pamphlets as a source of election information

Public opinion polls have generally shown that official voter 
pamphlets are  
viewed by citizens as one of the most reliable and useful sources 
of voter  
information on ballot measures. A 1982 Mervin Field poll found that 
voters  
relied almost equally on newspapers and television as a source of 
information on  
ballot measures -- 31% and 30%, respectively. Voter pamphlets rated 
at 21%, 
oral  discussions 5%, direct mail 5%, and radio 3%.

A 1990 Charlton Research Company survey found that newspapers and 
voter  
pamphlets were the most important sources of voter information on 
ballot  
measures, with 7 of 10 respondents sayings they were extremely or 
moderately  
important in their decisionmaking. television at 60%, slate cards 
at 55%, direct  mail 
at 38%.

Especially in cases of lesser-known ballot measures, voter 
pamphlets may be  
a voter's only source of election information.


Craig Holman, Ph.D.
Public Citizen
215 Pennsylvania Ave.,  SE
Washington, D.C. 20003
TEL: 202-454-5182
FAX:  202-547-7392
Holman@aol.com