Negative campaign in Brazilian presidential elections

Abstract

This article investigates negative campaign in Brazilian presidential elections. The subject is extremely relevant since growing literature suggests that the tone of the campaign has important consequences for vote decision, political participation and levels of information. However, most of these studies were conducted to understand the political reality of the United States. In Brazil, despite rising interest in the effect of political communication strategies, negative campaigns / political ads have not become part of the research agenda. A literature review indicates only a scattered number of studies with inconsistent results. This article aims to fill this gap offering a historical analysis of negative ads broadcasted in Horário Gratuito de Propaganda Eleitoral (Unpaid Electoral Advertisement Slot) from 1989 to 2014 presidential elections (both first and second rounds). The objective is to contribute to the theoretical understanding of the determinants of negative campaign in a multiparty context that is also highly regulated. The results indicate that the negative campaign average is low in Brazil, the strategy being used primarily in the second round, in reelection years and by candidates at disadvantages in the pools against the leader. Overall, the article analyzes 123 hours of electoral advertising.

Keywords:
elections; electoral campaign; negative campaign; vote; HGPE