Around the same time, the voting age changed to18, adding voters, the Voting Rights Act protected minority voters from bigots who for years keep them away from the polls, and the woman s movement greatly increased female participation. While all this change occurred over three decades, a small band of political consultants has grown into thousands of specialists. The Postal Service, the largest vendor in American politics, has raised its rates and spot TV advertising costs are up. But these changes do not explain the incredible rise in cost of politics today. In the mid-seventies, only a small number of statewide campaigns used broadcast media.
Many more candidates advertise today and more races are contested.
When an election is actually contested, voters look for political ads to learn about candidate differences on performance, accomplishment and issues. And they vote for quality. Today, campaigns have to move targeted audiences on specific topics. That s an expensive job. Inc. Site designed by Nostradamus Advertising .