Local issues may be strong enough to swing votes in elections. This is particularly true of State elections, but can also apply to Federal elections.
However, electoral behaviour tends to more uniform than many people think, so it is wise not to over-estimate this factor. In most elections, the state- or nation-wide swing is generally fairly consistent, but variations do occur, especially between states.
Local issues may swing some votes but whether this is decisive is open to question. [Read more…]