The Electorates’ Communication Dynamics

Abstract This chapter argues that the multiple electorates of 2020 existed in very different media environments insofar as they perceived the political media environment differently and consumed markedly different amounts and combinations of media. Although most voters were not ensconced in echo chambers, a smaller group of conservative voters was. Importantly, the 2020 electorates encountered and engaged different media outlets in different fashions. While some actively sought out these sources, others encountered them only incidentally, and still others actively avoided them. These action tendencies and their implications were as important as overall levels of exposure to various types of political information.