Misinformation & disinformation: Why voters don’t trust political ads
How to leverage direct mail’s credibility to turn skepticism into connection
Today’s voters are sending a clear message.
They want campaigns to do more to combat misinformation and disinformation in their political advertising. Getting facts wrong or deliberately presenting false information can be a major blow to your campaign. Once you lose trust, it can be hard to earn a second chance with voters.
Research from the 2025 election cycle shows:
- 86% of gubernatorial and 77% of mayoral voters in surveyed jurisdictions reported feeling concerned, at least to some degree, about misinformation and disinformation in political advertising.1
- On average, 76% said they encountered misinformation and disinformation during the election cycle.1
The reality is that voters don’t know who and what to believe anymore.
With AI flooding search and social media with synthetic content, credibility is eroding—fueling an atmosphere of skepticism toward political ads.
To overcome this bias and communicate effectively, campaigns need to integrate channels that voters find authentic and reliable to receive political news and campaign/candidate information.
This is the power of direct mail.
Research shows that direct mail is ranked one of the most credible channels.1 This strength makes it highly valuable in an AI‑disrupted digital world, especially when used as the backbone of omnichannel orchestration.
During a recent study, surveyed voters in key states and cities analyzed more than 850 political ads during the four weeks leading up to Election Day in 2025:
On average, 73% of direct mail ads were considered credible, with 31% rated as very credible—surpassing TV and streaming ads.2
Insight 1: Your content can make or break trust.
Integrating educational and fact-based information into your political ads can go a long way to help your campaign earn credibility. Providing content that focuses on relevant local and national issues, and that clearly explains the “how” and the path forward, can help validate your campaign’s track record and intentions.
In fact, voters expressed a strong preference for receiving election information. 51% of gubernatorial voters and 60% of mayoral voters showed interest in learning more about these elections through political mail.1
WHAT REAL VOTERS ARE SAYING:
“Tell me exactly what you’re going to do. And how you’re going to do it…the more truthful you are to me, the more I am likely to vote for you.”
—New Jersey voter2
Insight 2: Direct mail does more than just communicate—it helps legitimize.
Surveyed voters continue to show a strong preference for direct mail compared to other channels, citing its ability to reinforce and legitimize political messages they see online and on TV.2 The research also shows that direct mail has distinct strengths that can help establish credibility with voters.2
- Substantiative: Mail is more likely to deliver new information, including complete and well-supported arguments with specific details, references, and endorsements that helped substantiate claims.2
- Official: Mail is often perceived as professional, reading and appearing as a more “official” format than other forms of media.2
- Tangible: Because voters physically receive and interact with mail, it’s seen as less fleeting and harder to ignore, giving voters the ability to view it at their own pace without urgency or pressure.2
WHAT REAL VOTERS ARE SAYING:
“Political mail was good at giving a broader overview of the candidate and used its space well by getting straight to the point…usually, it had clear messaging and gave an overview of the candidates’ campaigns.”
—NYC voter2
Insight 3: Voters want campaigns to take action.
When asked how campaigns should address misinformation and disinformation in political advertising, voters identified specific actions they want campaigns to take to reduce misinformation and disinformation, as follows:1
-
Avoid using overly negative and/or sensitive information54% gubernatorial43% mayoral
-
Include clear citations or references46% gubernatorial39% mayoral
-
Highlight efforts to combat misinformation and disinformation40% gubernatorial40% mayoral
-
Provide links/QR Codes to fact-check websites/resources39% gubernatorial38% mayoral
-
Share educational content about how to identify misinformation and disinformation34% gubernatorial39% mayoral
-
Include direct contact options for voters to request clarification28% gubernatorial29% mayoral
PRO TIP:
Keep your messaging and imaging consistent across channels.
This can help build credibility through familiarity. Also, be sure to clearly outline your policy positions to combat any false claims that voters may see elsewhere.
The bottom line:
Direct mail acts as a credibility anchor in a digital sea of misinformation and disinformation. Delivering clear, fact-based messages about the election and your candidate can help reinforce trust, reduce skepticism, and strengthen voter confidence.
Direct mail + social media = connection
Discover how these channels work together to mirror “real-life” experiences that voters want and deliver meaningful moments that reinforce credibility and trust.
