Media Amer Elections

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

The 2026 midterm elections are shaping up to be a landmark event in American politics. This semester, we will have the opportunity to observe, unpack, and research these unprecedented elections and their immediate aftermath in real time. As is the case with midterms generally, these elections will be a referendum on the Trump presidency, with its myriad controversial policies and practices. At the same time, rampant redistricting, attempts at voter suppression, and a record number of open seats add elements of drama and uncertainty. All of this is taking place amidst the backdrop of wars in Iran and Ukraine, economic volatility, major changes to government departments and agencies, controversial Supreme Court rulings, high-profile government building projects, protests and the list goes on. We will have the opportunity to design and field a national survey of the American electorate to explore themes determined by the class. It is a chance to think outside the box and explore topics that may not be addressed by most election surveys. Past themes have included conspiracy theories, celebrities’ role in campaigns, and novel forms of online engagement. Media have been an essential element of American elections since the founding. The media’s role in elections has been expanding since the television era and has become more pervasive and integral to campaigns with the evolution of digital media. With each election cycle, previously established trends evolve as novel communications strategies are introduced. Horserace coverage, controversy, and scandal have become well-established characteristics of electoral communication that persist, even as the media environment has shifted. Social media use by candidates, the press, and the public has become a campaign staple since the 2008 presidential contest. The campaign media agenda often is hijacked by stories based on incendiary tweets, rumors, quarrels, and campaign intrigue. The amount of misinformation—the number of false stories based on exaggerated facts or outright fabrications—has been growing exponentially with each passing campaign. The 2024 presidential election witnessed the emergence of AI as a factor in the campaign. AI’s role in the midterms will likely be more prominent and sophisticated. These media trends coincide with, and may contribute to, developments in the political orientations of the American electorate. Not too long ago, the public was criticized for its high level of political disinterest and apathy. In recent campaigns, the amount of political engagement, especially on social media, reached new heights during the 2016 and 2020 presidential contest. While there was a slight drop in engagement during the 2024 presidential election, voters seem to sense that the results of the 2026 midterms will be consequential. The level of political polarization that has people divided along extreme partisan, ideological, and social lines has increased markedly. These trends have led political observers to lament that American society has entered a post-truth era where objective facts are subordinate to emotional appeals and personal beliefs in shaping public opinion. This course will explore trends in American election media with a focus on the 2026 midterms. It will explore the factors underpinning the evolution of political media and contemplate future developments. Several core questions form the foundation for the course: What role do media play in American election campaigns? How have digital media and AI changed the dynamics of elections and impacted electoral institutions, such as political parties? How have media influenced the political orientations of the American electorate? What role should election media play? In what ways do recent developments in American campaign media help or hinder the democratic process? Finally, is there a better way to conduct elections? Election campaigns are compelling laboratories for observing larger developments in media and politics. Innovations in campaign media have significant implications for the contesting of elections, and they also can signal changes to the larger political-media ecosystem. New media have added an important and evolving dimension to election campaigns. The 2008 presidential election was a watershed in campaign media, as novel election communication techniques, such as the use of social networking sites and online video, proliferated. The 2012 election witnessed greater sophistication in the use of these communication tools. The 2016 campaign saw the rise of misinformation on a range of fronts, including messages proliferated by outside actors seeking to influence the outcome. The 2020 contest demonstrated the adaptability of the current media system to accommodate a campaign that largely was waged virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2024 presidential election foreshadowed the role of AI. What additions to the campaign-media legacy will the 2026 midterm elections produce? Will this be the election where AI makes a significant impact? New media offer unprecedented opportunities for voters to become active participants in elections. They are attractive options for young people seeking to engage in campaigns and they are used heavily by older voters. They facilitate activities that traditionally have been conducted offline, such as fundraising, and offer platforms for wholly new forms of engagement. At the same time, traditional campaign media, especially television coverage and advertising, remain sources of information for many voters. Reliance on legacy media have persisted, especially for older people, as a substantial number of voters depend on cable news for election coverage even as their use of social media has escalated. The course begins with an overview of the American election system, with its inherent complexities, followed by an examination of the evolution of the media/election nexus. We will track the development of election media from the era of the partisan press to the current period which is characterized by an almost overwhelming amount of information disseminated via a diverse array of communication platforms. The course will be concerned primarily with present day election media and will focus heavily on the 2024 presidential campaign and the 2026 midterms. We will explore the campaign context and how the institutions, laws, rules, and norms surrounding elections are influenced by media. The role of political parties, polling and microtargeting, campaign advertising, and debates will be examined. Finally, we will take a deep dive into the nature and effects of campaign communication. We will investigate the influence of social media, misinformation, disinformation, deepfakes, and conspiracy theories on voters’ behavior and decision-making. We will examine the impact of political polarization, hyper-participation, and the Trump effect on how campaigns are waged and their outcomes, including the relationship to voter suppression.