ABSTRACT
Chapter 3 shows why issues measured with pre-selected, pre-formulated, fixed-choice (close-ended) poll questions do not correlate with vote whereas open-ended questions that ask respondents to name the issues they are concerned with are a major component of vote choice. The close-ended questions in polls are chosen by pollsters from among the issues being discussed by the political elite–the candidates and the media. These are not necessarily the issues voters are concerned with. Furthermore, pollsters ask about dozens of issues and expect voters to have thought about each and formed an attitude toward them. Voters give responses to interviewers even though they have no attitude regarding the issue–they do not want to appear uniformed so they guess. I found a way to measure how many respondents are guessing and found, on most issues, at least half and often as many as 60–70 percent are guessing.
A table is presented which shows the major issues on voters' minds in every election since 1960 as expressed by them in answer to an open-ended question. These responses are based on attitudes and those who mention them are part of an “Issue Public.”
