A low information voter, also known as a misinformation voter, is someone who participates in elections despite being generally poorly informed about political issues[1]. This term has been popular in the United States since the mid-1990s.
Key characteristics of low information voters include:
They tend to have more moderate ideological views compared to high-information voters[1].
They are less likely to vote, but when they do, they often choose candidates based on personal appeal rather than policy positions[1].
They are more likely to be swing voters and vote split-ticket[1].
They may rely on cues or heuristics, such as a candidate’s appearance or behavior, rather than substantial information to make voting decisions[1].
They can be more susceptible to emotional appeals on various topics, including the economy, immigration, and racial relations[4].
Low information voters often lack fundamental facts about government and exhibit a low “need for cognition,” meaning they are less inclined to engage in effortful thinking about complex issues[4]. This can make them more vulnerable to misinformation and less likely to critically evaluate candidates’ claims or policy positions[4].
It’s important to note that the term “low information voter” is sometimes used pejoratively, particularly in American political discourse[1]. However, the concept is studied seriously in political science to understand voting behavior and its impact on electoral outcomes.
Not going to lie, I’ve never seen it used outside of its pejorative use. I will assume it’s safe to imply that you aren’t using it that way, and with that explanation I’m satisfied that it is a real term with real uses.
This does describe most voters who are not just permanently voting red or blue though…
A low information voter, also known as a misinformation voter, is someone who participates in elections despite being generally poorly informed about political issues[1]. This term has been popular in the United States since the mid-1990s.
Key characteristics of low information voters include:
Low information voters often lack fundamental facts about government and exhibit a low “need for cognition,” meaning they are less inclined to engage in effortful thinking about complex issues[4]. This can make them more vulnerable to misinformation and less likely to critically evaluate candidates’ claims or policy positions[4].
It’s important to note that the term “low information voter” is sometimes used pejoratively, particularly in American political discourse[1]. However, the concept is studied seriously in political science to understand voting behavior and its impact on electoral outcomes.
Citations: [1] Low information voter https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_information_voter [2] What Are Low Information Voters? - ThoughtCo https://www.thoughtco.com/low-information-voters-5184982 [3] Trump Is Preying on Low-Information Voters - New York Magazine https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/trump-low-information-voters.html [4] ‘Low information voters’ are a crucial part of Trump’s support https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/11/07/low-information-voters-are-a-crucial-part-of-trumps-support/ [5] The Tragedy Of Rush Limbaugh’s Low Information Voter Theory https://www.forbes.com/sites/cedricmuhammad/2013/08/27/the-tragedy-of-rush-limbaughs-low-information-voter-theory/
Not going to lie, I’ve never seen it used outside of its pejorative use. I will assume it’s safe to imply that you aren’t using it that way, and with that explanation I’m satisfied that it is a real term with real uses.
This does describe most voters who are not just permanently voting red or blue though…