Final answer:
Interest groups directly influence election outcomes through electioneering, which includes supporting and campaigning for candidates aligned with their policy goals.
Step-by-step explanation:
Interest groups try to directly influence election outcomes by engaging in electioneering activities. These activities include campaigning on behalf of candidates who support their stance on specific issues. Interest groups may make phone calls, send out postcards, canvas door-to-door, make TV ads, and donate money to the candidate's campaign. This aligns closest with 'b) Conducting voter education' as they often provide information on candidates and issues that align with their goals.
Interest groups also utilize other methods such as lobbying, which encompasses both direct and indirect lobbying. Lobbying involves contacting and meeting with officials or government workers, providing policy information, and other means of direct persuasion using emails, letter writing, or phone message campaigns. Shaping issues through the media and promoting civic engagement are other ways interest groups influence government policy and elections.