ABSTRACT

Parties must communicate messages to voters. Otherwise, they cannot maintain and mobilize their base, expand their electoral coalition, persuade swing voters, and build a long-term party image. Th e information and messages to which citizens are exposed aff ect what they think about issues, candidates, and the parties themselves. And in an era of an unceasing fl ow of political information, parties and candidates that are unsuccessful in communicating with and persuading the public will have little chance of winning elections and turning their proposals into policy.