MARQUETTE -- Election season wouldn't be complete without political ads of all sorts, especially the ones on TV.
The closer we get to election season, the nastier the attack ads get. How do these ads impact local voters?
Negative political ads and mud slinging can get even more vicious during the last week before the election.
How does it impact people?
Barbara Zenter of Manistique said, "I think they're hurting their own selves. If you're talking about somebody else, you're skirting the issues. You're not concentrating on what you're supposed to be doing."
"My parents taught me that if you can't say anything good about someone, don't say anything at all," added Karen Mattson of Marquette.
Judy Hulkkonen of Nisula summed it up like this, "They're not campaigning for themselves, they're worried about everybody else - what negative stuff they [others] have done. I feel like if you're going to campaign, you need to campaign for yourself and leave everybody else alone, because we all have made mistakes in our life."
As much as people complain about these negative ads, people do watch, and they work.
According to NMU Political Science Professor David Haynes, says, for better or worse, negative political ads have always had a place in political campaigns.
"American voters respond to negative ads, and usually the message sticks in," said Haynes.
Can we trust them?
"Some people doubt the total accuracy, but there is an accuracy requirement. It's how you spin it or how you stretch it that gets people upset and gets candidates responding," added Haynes.
Haynes also says people should watch the ads with a discerning eye. They should focus on the issues that are important to them. They should research what the ad is saying.
Most importantly, the voter should trust his or her gut.
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