Endorsements sway 'no' votes but don't affect roll-off on Florida ballot measures

Newspaper endorsements influence how Floridians vote on ballot measures, particularly swaying them toward rejection.

This article analyzes 20 years of newspaper endorsements in the context of low-salience ballot measures in Florida.

Data & Methods: Examined historical newspaper endorsements alongside voting patterns for both 'no' votes and roll-off (abstention) across multiple state elections.

Key Findings:

• Endorsements have a demonstrable positive impact on driving voters to cast 'no' ballots.
• The same influence is largely absent when it comes to affecting roll-off rates, where voters choose not to participate in the decision-making process.

This contrast suggests a disconnect between how endorsements affect voting behavior (persuasion) versus abstention (information seeking), revealing that while newspapers can shape outcomes by encouraging votes against measures, they seem ineffective at enticing voters altogether.