PostElect00.zip

Unprecedented Historical Context: This is perhaps the most crucial note. The survey was conducted while the outcome of the presidential election was unknown. The Florida recount was underway, and the nation was gripped by uncertainty. This makes the data a unique time capsule of public sentiment during a constitutional crisis.

Purpose of a "Reinterview": This likely means respondents from a pre-election survey were contacted again. This allows researchers to track how individual voters' opinions, feelings, and evaluations changed after casting their votes and entering the chaotic post-election period. It's a powerful longitudinal (panel) design.

Key Topics Explored:

Confidence in the Process: Belief in the fairness and accuracy of the vote count, especially in Florida.

Partisan Reactions: Differing emotions (anger, anxiety, confidence) among Gore and Bush supporters.

Legitimacy of the Outcome: Attitudes on what should happen next (e.g., continue recounting, concede) and willingness to accept the eventual winner as legitimate.

Media Performance: Evaluation of how the news media handled the night of the election and the calling of states.

Significance: This dataset is invaluable for:

Political Scientists studying election administration, public trust, and contested outcomes.

Historians documenting the 2000 election crisis.

Journalists drawing parallels to modern electoral disputes and questions of legitimacy.

Access: The full data set and any associated analysis would be archived on the Pew Research Center's website, likely within their politics section or a dedicated archive for election studies. Searching for "2000 Post-Election Survey" would be the best approach.