Hollywood Popular Artists

Aug 13th 2012, 20:40

45 million 18-29 year olds will be eligible to vote in this year's presidential election, representing the largest potential voting bloc in the country. Learn more about the issues, register to vote and get involved with MTV's Power of 12. Today, we've got another "Jargon Buster" for you.

coattail effect, noun: the phenomenon of one political candidate's popularity drawing votes for other candidates in the same political party

If you are suffering from POWS (Post Olympic Withdrawal Syndrome [just made it up]), then picture this: a tight race, the 400-meter free, swimmers freestyling for their lives. But what is this? One contender seems to be hovering just behind the favorite, strategically lagging behind? Ah, yes: the ol' drafting maneuver. That clever lagger is saving precious energy by literally riding the wave of the leader.

In politics, candidates may, at times, engage in a sort of drafting colloquially known as coattail-riding. Having one star of a political party takes a bit of pressure off his or her fellow party members. Let the big-name big-shot do all of the heavy lifting, then work that shared ticket like it's going out of style.

Let's say, for example, that a voter goes to the polls this fall and picks Obama for a second term... then, without necessarily knowing much about the other candidates, votes for all of those other Democrats on the ballot. "If they're good enough for Obama, they're good enough for me," thinks this dedicated Dem. Those candidates just successfully rocked the coattail effect, swam in the President's draft, scored a medal.

Those strategic underlings, though, had better hope the high-profile candidate is well liked; otherwise, the dreaded "negative coattail effect" could get them lumped in with that unpopular person... compounding the unpopularity many times over. Coattail backfire. More painful than POWS.

You have the power to decide the outcome of the 2012 Election. Register to vote with our super easy registration tool. So, no excuses. vote like a champ.

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