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If we’re going to be herded, let’s at least be astute enough to recognize it as it’s happening.

http://www.ehow.com/info_8665249_effect-media-voting-behavior.html

The Effect of Media on Voting Behavior

Leading up to elections, voters often rely on the media as a source of information for each candidate running for office. Since the average voter does not know each candidate personally, they will turn to newspapers, TV, radio or the Internet to get information on where the candidates stand on particular issues in order to make an informed decision. Media exposure can therefore play a direct role in how a person ultimately casts their vote.

(SNIP)

Opinion Polls

By their nature, opinion polls influence what choices voters make going into an election. An opinion poll can create what is called a bandwagon effect. In this situation, a poll can prompt some voters to back a candidate who is shown to have a significant lead in the poll because they believe that candidate will win the election. These voters act out of a desire to align themselves with the popular candidate. Opinion polls can also work to influence public perception of a candidate. If a poll is taken after a candidate makes a major speech or debate, poll numbers will frame the context in which voters view that speech or debate. If they are trailing, the candidate is viewed as struggling in the campaign. If they lead, they are seen as the frontrunner.

http://psychology.wikia.com/wiki/Bandwagon_effect

BANDWAGON EFFECT

The Bandwagon effect, also known as social proof or “cromo effect” and closely related to opportunism, is the observation that people often do and believe things because many other people do and believe the same things. The effect is often pejoratively called “herding instinct,” particularly when applied to adolescents. People tend to follow the crowd without examining the merits of a particular thing. The bandwagon effect is the reason for the bandwagon fallacy’s success.

(SNIP)

Origin of the phrase

The phrase “jump on the bandwagon” first appeared in American politics in 1848 when Dan Rice, a famous and popular circus clown of the time, used his bandwagon and its music to gain attention for Zachary Taylor’s campaign appearances. As Taylor’s campaign became more successful, more politicians strove for a seat on the bandwagon, hoping to be associated with the success. Later, during the time of William Jennings Bryan’s 1900 presidential campaign, bandwagons had become standard in campaigns,[3] and “jump on the bandwagon” was used as a derogatory term, implying that people were associating themselves with the success without considering what they associated themselves with.

Use in Politics

The bandwagon effect occurs in voting: some people vote for those candidates or parties who are likely to succeed (or are proclaimed as such by the media), hoping to be on the ‘winner’s side’ in the end.[4] The Bandwagon effect has been applied to situations involving majority opinion, such as political outcomes, where people alter their opinions to the majority view (McAllister and Studlar 721). Such a shift in opinion can occur because individuals draw inferences from the decisions of others, as in an informational cascade.