this post was submitted on 28 Jun 2024
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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...