"Smear" ads, also known as mud-slinging campaign tactics, are shown to stick in the minds of those who see them and to prevent people from voting for the candidates they are aimed at. These ads reduce a decision that should be about the intentions and values of each candidate - what they will do - into a matter of sorting truth from lies. This also contributes to misinformation among voters, so that they vote differently than they otherwise would. Often all the sides involved use these ads, leaving a negative impression in the minds of voters such that they do not want to vote for anyone - because there is "no one good to vote for." These ads lower the character of the American political process and keep voters out of the polls, contributing to low voter turnouts.
This is historical material “frozen in time”. The website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages may not work.
