Electoral campaigns and their effect on voting. A study of the 2003 presidential elections in Argentina

This paper aims to explore empirically the potential influence presidential electoral campaigns may exert on the process of voting decision making. Four dimensions of this problem are analysed: 1. the communicational resources of a campaign that result most effective, 2. if the voters perceive the differential media exposure received by each of the candidates, 3. in case they do, if that perception has an impact on the positive image of the candidates and 4. the capacity of campaigns to operate changes on the voting decision. The obtained data indicate that in the memory they build of campaigns, the subjects recognize the predominance of television messages, perceive the differential media exposure of candidates, that this perception does not necessarily mean they have a positive image of those who received more media exposure, and that they point out the potential of the campaign to change their initial voting decision.