What is the primary purpose of push polls in campaign tactics?

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Study for the UCF POS2041 American National Government Exam 2. Engage with multiple choice questions and expertly crafted explanations. Boost your exam readiness today!

The primary purpose of push polls in campaign tactics is to feed false or misleading information to voters. Push polls are a type of survey that is designed not merely to gather information but to influence public opinion through biased or leading questions. They often present negative information about an opponent or misleadingly frame issues in a way that favors the candidate who commissioned the poll.

This tactic is typically employed during elections to shape perceptions rather than to uncover genuine voter sentiment. By presenting information that serves a specific agenda, push polls can sway voters' attitudes and potentially affect their voting decisions without providing them with truthful or complete information about the candidates or issues.

In contrast, options that mention gathering unbiased opinions, promoting a candidate's strengths, or conducting legitimate surveys on public opinion do not align with the manipulative nature of push polling. Such activities are more closely associated with legitimate polling practices, which aim to understand voter preferences and sentiments without advancing a specific political agenda.