Battleground States versus Blackout States: The Behavioral Implications of Modern Presidential Campaigns.

The article examines the impact of battleground designation by presidential campaign strategists in the U.S. on the political activation and involvement of resource poor and peripheral voters, including those in lower income brackets, weak partisans, and African Americans. It is suggested that low income voters are much more likely to develop an interest in the campaign when they reside in states that both parties have targeted as battlegrounds compared to states that both parties have designated as safe.