Editorial: Issue-oriented ads will serve the voters of Indianapolis best

With early voting underway, we’d like to urge the candidates for mayor of Indianapolis to put increasing focus on ads and messages that tout their own strengths and plans for the city rather than commercials that tear their opponents down.

Incumbent Democrat Joe Hogsett and Republican challenger Jefferson Shreve have plenty to say to voters. They have ideas about downtown development, addressing crime, funding roads and more—all policies and proposals that can help voters make an informed decision about their ballots.

IBJ’s Taylor Wooten details some of those policies in stories this week. But Hogsett and Shreve can reach much bigger audiences by using their advertising budgets to be clear about their stances on the issues.

We’ve seen some of that, of course. Shreve is running an ad now about Indianapolis Animal Care Services that includes his own ideas (building a new shelter, for example) in addition to criticizing Hogsett for what he calls deplorable conditions at the current shelter.

Hogsett has an ad that touts what the voiceover calls “real progress” in economic development, infrastructure and more but promises the mayor knows there’s more to do, particularly in getting “guns off the street.”

These ads highlight issues the candidates are prioritizing and give voters a reason to choose the candidate who most agrees with their own values.

Of course, the airwaves (and streaming channels) are full of attack ads, as well. These can serve a purpose by highlighting key differences. And studies show negative ads are effective. We aren’t naïve enough to think these commercials are going away.

But negative ads can also lead voters to tune out of campaign messages. Some studies show they can lower voter turnout and enthusiasm about an election. Neither seems like a good idea, no matter whom you support.

So in these final weeks, we’d love for Hogsett and Shreve (in addition to the many other candidates running for office in Indiana) to spend more of their resources on ads that help voters get to know them, understand what they’ll do if elected and draw contrasts with their opponents.

We think that last category can be done in ads that are effective but don’t turn off voters. One way is for the candidates themselves to speak directly to the differences and voice the criticisms of their opponents rather than letting a voiceover do it.

Former Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels was a master at this technique. When Daniels was challenging Gov. Joe Kernan, a Democrat, he openly criticized the policies that Kernan and Gov. Frank O’Bannon before him had implemented and the results they had achieved. But he did so in a way that—at least to many voters—did not seem overly harsh.

We’ve seen a few examples of that style in the mayor’s race. And we’ve seen effective, positive ads from both campaigns, as well. We hope to see more of those, and we urge voters to pay attention and make an informed choice at the polls or through the mail.•

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