2012 Social Election Survey Report Sample
Transcript of 2012 Social Election Survey Report Sample
The 2012 Social Election Survey
January 2013
Exploring the Role of Social Media in Influencing Perceptions and Voter Behavior in the 2012 Presidential Election
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Table of Contents
Section Page
About the Study 3
Key Findings 5
Demographics 14
Election Interest and Vote Influencers 19
Learning About and Discussing the Election 24
General Use of Social Media 33
Comparing the Quality and Credibility of Traditional and Social Media 37
Using Social Media to Follow the Election 41
Sharing Political Views on Social Media 49
The Influence of Social Media 58
Watching and Discussing the Debates 70
Grading the Candidates Use of Social Media 79
Tone of the Presidential Election 82
Political Bias in the Media 88
Participation in the 2012 Election 94
Milestone Moments in the Election: Sample Top Social Media Posts from Final Four Months of the Election
99
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About the Study Overview of the 2012 Social Election Survey
This report was produced by ORI and The George Washington
University Graduate School of Political Management. The goal of
this study is to provide a non-partisan view of the role and
influence of social media in the 2012 presidential election.
Specifically, this report sought to:
– Understand how closely the public was watching the
election
– Identify the value placed on various sources of information
about the candidates and issues in the election
– Understand how the public was using social media to learn
about and engage in discussions about the election
– Explore how people shared their political opinions on
social media
– Assess the perceived credibility of social media relative to
other sources of information
– Identify differences in perceptions and behavior based on
age, gender, political leaning and candidate supported
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Male 45%
Female 55%
GENDER
Some high school
High School Diploma
Some college
Associate Degree
Bachelors Degree
Masters Degree
Doctorate
Other
2%
15%
22%
10%
25%
20%
5%
1%
Demographics Gender, Age, Education & Income
18 - 25 years
26 - 35 years
36 - 45 years
46 - 55 years
56 - 65 years
Over 65 years
8%
17%
15%
24%
23%
13%
HIGHEST EDUCATION COMPLETED
SAMPLE SIZE
n=806
Fielding: 10/29/12-11/13/12
AGE
Less than $25,000
$25,000 to $50,000
$50,000 to $75,000
$75,000 to $100,000
$100,000 to $125,000
$125,000 to $150,000
More than $150,000
17%
23%
20%
13%
9%
7%
12%
HOUSEHOLD INCOME
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Top 3 Issues Determining Presidential Vote
The economy was the
single most important
determinant of how
people voted, with
over 52% selecting it
as their top issue.
Health care (83%)
and the deficit (74%)
were also top
concerns.
The economy and jobs
Health care
The federal deficit
Education
National security and defense
Social Issues, incl. abortion and gay marriage
Energy
The environment/climate change
Immigration
Other
52%
29%
15%
22%
9%
16%
4%
9%
7%
9%
26%
32%
30%
19%
23%
21%
15%
10%
9%
5%
16%
22%
29%
26%
31%
21%
23%
15%
18%
9%
Rank 1 Rank 2 Rank 3
Assume you are going to vote in the November election. Please rank the top three issues determining your vote for president.
Top 3 Total
94%
83%
74%
67%
63%
58%
42%
34%
34%
23%
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Overall
Four in ten used social networks to keep up with political news (43%), debate key issues (39%) and
find others who shared their views (38%).
Respondents were less likely to use social networks to recruit support for political causes.
Overall, how important are social networking sites to you personally when it comes to each of the following?
Use of Social Networks for Political Activities
Keeping up with political news
Debating or discussing political issues with others
Finding other people who share your views about important political issues
Recruiting people to get involved with political issues that matter to you
43%
39%
38%
31%
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Overall
Male
Female
18 - 25 years
26 - 35 years
36 - 45 years
46 - 55 years
56 - 65 years
Over 65 years
3%
5%
2%
7%
6%
5%
1%
2%
2%
8%
11%
8%
13%
17%
15%
6%
3%
5%
18%
18%
17%
24%
26%
22%
12%
13%
16%
Extremely influential Very influential Moderately influential
Influence of Social Media on Shaping Opinions Overall, Gender & Age
Three in ten respondents
(29%) said social media was
moderately to extremely
influential in their perceptions
of the candidates and issues in
the election. However, that
increased to nearly half of 18-
25 year olds (45%) and 26-35
year olds (49%).
Only three percent said social
media was extremely
influential, indicating that the
tools are still a long way from
being a primary influencer of
voter perceptions.
Social Media’s Influence on the Perceptions of Candidates and Issues
AG
E G
END
ER
Total Influential
29%
34%
27%
45%
49%
42%
19%
19%
23%
Compared to other sources, how influential has the information on social media been in shaping your opinion of the candidates and issues in the presidential election?
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Using the Sample Tweet Data How to read the selected retweets
The guide below illustrates how to read
the sample tweet data.
Account from which the tweet
was posted
Number of times the post was
retweeted
Thickness of border corresponds to the size of the audience reached.
Thicker borders indicate higher reach on a Scale of 1-8.
Date and time of post
The check mark beside the account name indicates a Twitter
verified account (Primarily used for certify the authenticity of
the accounts of public figures)
Color of border indicates which candidate the
message favored:
Blue = Obama
Red = Romney
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Mitt Romney, November 2012 Keyword: Romney | Search Frame: Nov. 1 –Nov. 5, 2012
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Barack Obama, November 2012 Keyword: Obama | Search Frame: Nov. 1 –Nov. 5, 2012
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