Outline of the Discussion


 Voting
 Who Votes?
 Who Votes How?
 What Wins Elections?
 
 VOTING
 Voting

 the fundamental act of democratic
political participation
 often following discussions, debates, or
election campaigns
 Voting

 In a representative democracy, voting
commonly implies election - a way for
an electorate to select among candidates
for office.
 Voting

 A vote is an individual's act of voting,
by which he or she expresses support or
preference for a certain motion (for
example, a proposed resolution), a
certain candidate, a selection of
candidates, or a political party.
 
 WHO VOTES?
 Who Votes?

 Voters in most democracies tend to be
middle-aged and better educated with
white-collar jobs, more urban than rural.
 They are more likely to identify with a
political party.
 Who Votes?

 Nonvoters are young, lacking
education, with blue-collar or no jobs.
 Who Votes?

 Income and Education
 High income gives people a stake in
election outcomes, and education raises
levels of interest and sophistication.
 Who Votes?

 Gender
 Traditionally, men were more likely to
vote than women in almost every
society.
 In recent years, women have voted
more than men
 Who Votes?

 Place of Residence
 In most of the world, cities have higher
turnouts than rural areas, partly because
urbanities on average have higher
education levels.
 Who Votes?

 Place of Residence
 People who have lived in the same
place are more likely to vote than
newcomers.
 
 WHO VOTES HOW?
 Who Votes How?

 Party Identification
 It is an attachment many feel toward
one party for a long time.
 Who Votes How?

 Party Identification
 People with no party ID are up for
grabs and may shift their votes every
election.
 Who Votes How?

 Party Identification
 Party ID is heavily influenced by
parents early in life.
 It is a “standing decision” on how to
vote.
 Who Votes How?

 Party Identification
 Practicing politicians and political
scientists call a group with a tendency to
identify with a certain party a voting
bloc.
 Who Votes How?

 Class Voting
 Social class is one determinant of party
identification and voting behavior.
 Who Votes How?

 Regional Voting
 Some regions identify strongly with
certain parties.
 Who Votes How?

 Religious Blocs
 Religious versus secular is the strongest
predictor in voting.
 Who Votes How?

 Age Groups
 Younger people are not necessarily
more radical than their elders.
 Who Votes How?

 Gender Gap
 Women used to be traditional and
conservative than men, but that has
reversed.
 Who Votes How?

 Marriage Gap
 Married and unmarried people vote
differently.
 Who Votes How?

 Gay Gap
 Issues such as same-sex marriage and
equality rights affect voters.
 Who Votes How?

 Urban Voting
 Big cities worldwide tend strongly to
vote liberal or left.
 Country dwellers tend to embrace
conservative values.
 
 WHAT WINS
ELECTIONS?
 What Wins Elections?

 In theory, elections enable citizens to
choose and guide their government.
 What Wins Elections?

 In modern elections, the element of
rational choice is heavily manipulated
by the twin factors of personality and
mass media.
 What Wins Elections?

 People vote without clearly realizing
what they are voting for or why, and
this could become a threat to
democracy.
 What Wins Elections?

 Retrospective Voting
 It is colored by party identification,
issues, and the candidate’s personality.
 What Wins Elections?

 Retrospective Voting
 Voting behavior is complex.
 When people say they “like”
candidates, it could mean that they like
the candidates’ party, their stand on
issues, their personal images, or the
performance of the economy.
 What Wins Elections?

 Candidate Strategies and Voter
Groups
 Candidates are aware of what various
groups are thinking about, what
districts have the lowest turnouts, and
which issues anger constituents.