# Timing an event to have maximum effect on a presidential election **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 29, 2016, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timing-an-event-to-have-maximum-effect-on-a-presidential-election/747552 "2016-02-29T19:25:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2016, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timing-an-event-to-have-maximum-effect-on-a-presidential-election/747552/1 "2016-02-29T19:25:25Z")
Suppose that you were someone with a lot of power to sway a presidential election outcome - maybe you’re a movie producer releasing a movie that will change the views of millions of voters, or you’re a foreign government with the power to influence a U.S. presidential election outcome (for instance, China suddenly doing something militarily/politically drastic), or a whistleblower with knowledge of a political scandal (i.e., bribery, murder, etc.) that could bring down a candidate. What would be the best timing for you to do so? 3 weeks before the election? 1 week before the election? 3 days before the election? ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2016, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timing-an-event-to-have-maximum-effect-on-a-presidential-election/747552/2 "2016-02-29T19:35:54Z")
Obviously you have weeks of sensationalist advertising leading up to a fantastic event followed by additional events leading into the election. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2016, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timing-an-event-to-have-maximum-effect-on-a-presidential-election/747552/3 "2016-02-29T21:54:37Z")
When was Citizens United planning on releasing that video slandering Clinton? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2016, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timing-an-event-to-have-maximum-effect-on-a-presidential-election/747552/4 "2016-02-29T22:17:12Z")
Perhaps you’ve heard the term [“October Surprise”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_surprise) to describe exactly what you’re talking about. According to the cite, the prime dates have been: 1968 – October 30 1972 – October 26 1980 – at least a month before the election 1992 – October 30 2000 – November 3 2004 – October 27, 29 2008 – October 31 2012 – September 17 Except for a couple of outliers, it would seem the prefered time for a sensation is the last week before the election.