Sorting Out the 2008 Election Hoopla
A Chat with U of Akron Bliss Institute's Dr. John Green

The Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at the University of Akron is a bipartisan research and education program teaching undergraduate and graduate students about the nuts and bolts of practical politics. With the presidential elections just around the corner, Cool Cleveland wanted to talk to Dr. John Green, Bliss Institute director and professor, about what all the election "hoopla" means (media coverage, voting polls, electronic voting machines, and early ballots).

"We are bipartisan to a fault," admitted Green. The Bliss Institute trains people to become pollsters and work on campaigns as managers, strategists, and interns. The Institute was founded in 1986 in honor of University of Akron alumnus, Ray. C. Bliss, the man who was credited with having strong integrity and rebuilding the Republican Party after Senator Barry Goldwater lost his presidential bid. Asked why the public opinion polls are important during a political campaign, Green replied, "The public needs to look at the results of these polls with healthy skepticism. All polls are not equally good, you need to know if the organization conducting the polls is reputable," he explained.

Polls are a snapshot of public opinion, but they are also a statistical phenomenon with a margin for error. "We can learn from polls, they provide useful information, but don't take polls too seriously," he advised. "The best way to consider poll results is to average them all together due to the margin for error."

Providing a valuable resource, people learn about the candidates and the campaigns through the news media. However, there is an abundance of news outlets today, Green cautioned, so voters have to pay attention to many different sources for the news. "Generally speaking, the journalists I know work hard and exercise integrity when reporting the news," he said.

"The reporters do not create the negativity, the candidates do this. Then the reporters write about the name calling and the mud slinging. The way to change all of this negative campaign reporting is not to respond to it. Candidates know they get media attention by doing this, and it is just the reporter's job to cover the action." Find out what is happening, urged Green, but not everything is equally good or equally well covered.

In late August, the Bliss Institute reported the survey results from 800 respondents among a pool of registered Ohio voters and found that Obama and McCain each drew support of 40 percent of the respondents, with 20 percent remaining undecided.

"I am not surprised by these results," commented Green. "This makes sense to me; Ohio is frequently a battleground state because it is so diverse, Cleveland being more liberal, Cincinnati being more conservative, and everything in-between."

Early balloting is a new feature this year replacing absentee ballots. The state legislature has approved this "no-excuse required" early form of voting. Green believes many Ohio registered voters will take advantage of this new option so they don't have to stand in line waiting to vote.

"This is a new phenomenon," said Green, "because your application for voting and the ballot have deadlines, and have to be received prior to Election Day. What if something happens and they change their minds after submitting the early ballots?" he asked. With the early voting, the campaigns have now strengthened their messages to accommodate the early voting in the state.

Regarding the famous voting machines? Green has given Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner his vote of confidence saying, "I believe they will get it right this time." Stay tuned...

Learn more about the Bliss Institute by visiting http://www.uakron.edu/bliss.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Susan Schaul susn1ATatt.net

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