How Voters Decide: Crash Course Government and Politics

The video explores how American voters make decisions, focusing on three main factors: party loyalty, candidate characteristics, and issues. Party loyalty is highlighted as a significant predictor of voting behavior, often influenced by family and personal ideology. Candidate characteristics such as race, gender, and personality also play a role. Issues are divided into retrospective and prospective voting, with spatial and valence issues further complicating decisions. The video concludes by acknowledging other factors like personal prejudices and the Bradley effect, emphasizing the importance of an informed electorate.

What role does social background play in a voter's choice of candidate?

How do spatial issues differ from valence issues in political voting?

What is the Bradley effect and how does it relate to voter decision-making?