#swing-voters

#swing-voters

One of the truly ancient debates in U.S. political circles is whether candidates in highly competitive partisan elections can best win by persuading swing voters or mobilizing base voters. There's no absolute identity between ideology and strategy, but speaking generally, right- or left-wing ideologues tend to adopt base mobilization strategies that don't require any accommodation of the other party's views. Republican or Democratic "moderates" generally hew to the "median voter theory" that winning over a swing voter is especially effective because it adds a vote to one's own column while denying a vote to the opposing candidate. So they value cross-over voting as much as turnout advantages.

As we approach the end of 2025 and the one-year-mark of President Trump's second term, NPR wants to hear from swing voters about how they're feeling about politics. Do you think the country is going in the right or wrong direction? Are you happy with your vote last year or do you have any regrets? Or maybe you sat the election out? We want to hear your thoughts on the economy, foreign policy, how Congress is doing and more.