UC San Diego

How do voters navigate primary elections for the United States Congress, which by design demand voters to choose between candidates more similar than those in the general election? I look at three information sources voters might use: local newspapers, name recognition, and television advertisements. The decline of local newspaper coverage has contributed to more extreme nominees and a large incumbency advantage while name recognition can be influenced by political parties to exert control over primaries. Television advertisements potentially provide useful information directly to voters in the races where it maters most. In sum, voters struggle to access the information necessary to hold officials accountable in primary elections.