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Yard Sign Displays and the Enthusiasm Gap in the 2008 and 2010Elections

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 September 2012

Todd Makse  and
Anand E. Sokhey
Todd Makse
Affiliation:
Susquehanna University
Anand E. Sokhey
Affiliation:
University of Colorado, Boulder
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Abstract

In the run up to the 2010 midterm elections, pundits and politicos often talked ofan “enthusiasm gap” between Republicans and Democrats. Although conventionaltreatments have typically equated these gaps with changes in turnout and thecomposition of the electorate, we argue that the term better describes theparticipatory patterns of highly engaged voters. Using multiple data sources,including a geocoded, county-wide study that tracked yard sign displays between 2008and 2010, we examine the visible evidence of enthusiasm gaps in voters'neighborhoods. Our findings echo recent narratives, yet suggest that scholars havemissed important dimensions in their examinations of these “wave” elections.

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PS: Political Science & Politics , Volume 45 , Issue 4 , October 2012 , pp. 694 - 699
Copyright
Copyright © American Political Science Association 2012 

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