Document Type
Poster Session
Department
Leadership and Organizational Studies
Faculty Mentor
Elizabeth Guryunova, PhD
Keywords
election, voting, democratic party, primary, presidential candidate criteria, political campaign
Abstract
At the start of the 2020 election cycle, there were twenty-three candidates running in the race for the nomination in the democratic race for President of the United States. With such a diverse group of candidates, it was unclear how voters could possibly make a decision. Research indicates that the most significant factors influencing voters in their decision making process are emotions, policy issues, gender stereotypes, and candidate image. The goal of this research study was to examine further how voters navigated the process of choosing a candidate in a highly competitive and historic election. Using a qualitative approach, interviews were conducted with registered voters to uncover the deeper and more complex decision making processes involved in selecting their desired candidate. The findings in this study are mostly consistent with prior research conducted, with an emphasis on the significance of policy issues and candidate image being the strongest influencers of their decision.
Open Access?
1
The Process of Nominating Democratic Party Candidates
At the start of the 2020 election cycle, there were twenty-three candidates running in the race for the nomination in the democratic race for President of the United States. With such a diverse group of candidates, it was unclear how voters could possibly make a decision. Research indicates that the most significant factors influencing voters in their decision making process are emotions, policy issues, gender stereotypes, and candidate image. The goal of this research study was to examine further how voters navigated the process of choosing a candidate in a highly competitive and historic election. Using a qualitative approach, interviews were conducted with registered voters to uncover the deeper and more complex decision making processes involved in selecting their desired candidate. The findings in this study are mostly consistent with prior research conducted, with an emphasis on the significance of policy issues and candidate image being the strongest influencers of their decision.
