Voters do not observe character directly. Campaign speeches, debates, news coverage, endorsements, prior service, scandals, and personal encounters provide signals that people interpret through their own values and party loyalties. A polished performance can improve a competence rating, while an inconsistency can reduce trust. The evidence supports a claim about voter perception, not a guarantee of how the candidate will govern.

Keep candidate evaluation separate from two neighboring ideas. Party identification is a durable attachment that can guide many contests over time. Issue voting centers on policy agreement or priority. One ballot may reflect all three, so the question's decisive evidence controls the label. If the stem emphasizes honesty, experience, health, background, or leadership style, candidate characteristics are doing the explanatory work.

Video lesson: How Voters Decide: Crash Course Government and Politics #38