Voting behaviour and the Media

• Class dealignment: The process where individuals no longer identify themselves as belonging to a certain class and for political purposes fail to make a class connection with their voting pattern
• Disillusion and apathy: A process of disengagement with politics and political activity
• Having no confidence in politics and politicians as being able to solve issues and make a difference
• Manifested in low turnout at elections and poor awareness of contemporary events.
• Governing competency: The perceived ability of the governing party in office to manage the affairs of state well and effectively
• It can also be a potential view of opposition parties and their perceived governing competence if they were to secure office.
• Partisan/voter dealignment: The process where individuals no longer identify themselves on a long-term basis by being associated with a certain political party
• Valence is not issue based but more general. Rather than basing a decision on education policy it is based on how well they think a party is doing/ how well they do. Below are several factors that can form this opinion
• Sensationalism is a tactic used in an attempt to gain an audience’s attention. Media outlets resort to the use of shocking words, exaggeration and sometimes blatant lies.
• A by-election is an election called when a seat has been vacated within a constituency, but there is no General Election looming. In the United States these are called Special Elections.
• By-elections take place when:

  • an MP dies
  • If an MP resigns
  • Due to a term of imprisonement for over one year
  • Due to a successful recall petition under the Recall of MPs Act (2015)
• by-electin 2023 Somerton and Frome – This saw a swing of 29.0% as the Liberal Democrats took the seat from the Conservatives who previously had a majority of 19,213.
• By-election - 2022 Tiverton and Honiton – This saw a swing of 29.9% as the Liberal Democrats took the seat from the Conservatives who previously had a majority of 24,239.
• BY-ELECTION - 2021 North Shropshire – This saw a swing of 34.2% as the Liberal Democrats took the seat from the Conservatives who previously had a majority of 22,949.
• By-election - 2021 Chesham and Amersham – This saw a swing of 25.2% as the Liberal Democrats took the seat from the Conservatives who previously had a majority of 16,223.
• By-Elections provide the national focus that minor parties crave. During a by-election national attention is focused on the constituency. Whilst minor parties are still unlikely to win the by-election, they can get higher than normal media coverage through them. By-Elections normally see far more candidates than a normal election would see in the constituency. The highest number of candidates in a by-election was an incredible 26 in the 2008 by-election in Haltemprice and Howden.
• By-Elections can often see relative success for extremist parties. For example, in the 2011 by-election in Barnsley Central and 2012 Rotherham by-election saw the British National Party (BNP) finish in 3rd and 4th position.
• by-elections can become referendums on the dominant political issue of the day. Notably, between 2016 and 2019 Brexit was a dominant issue in by-elections.
• Governments tend to perform extremely poorly in by-elections. By-Elections often become a referendum on the performance of the party in government. However, they are also harder for the governing party to win than General Elections as they are not really able to put forward a raft of new policies. Notably, between 1982 and 2017 the governing party made no gains (winning seats they did not hold previously) at by-elections.
• Somerton and From (July 2023)

  Reason for By-Election: The resignation of David Warburton, 14 months after he had been suspended by the Conservative Party for allegations he had sexually harassed three women.

  Previous Majority: 19,213 (Conservative)

  Result: The Liberal Democrat Sarah Dyke won the seat with a 29% swing
• Selby and Ainsty (July 2023)

  Reason for By-Election: The sudden resignation of Nigel Adams.

  Previous Majority: 20,137 (Conservative)

  Result: The Labour candidate Keir Mathers won the seat. Mathers, aged just 25, therefore became the Baby of the House.
• Uxbridge and South Ruislip

  Reason for By-Election: The resignation of Boris Johnson prior to his likely suspension from Parliament and recall as an MP.

  Previous Majority: 7,210 (Conservative)

  Result: Steve Tuckwell the Conservative candidate retained the seat for the Conservatives. It was expected the Labour would win the seat, however, the ULEZ policy of Sadiq Khan in London took a prime position in the campaign and likely altered the outcome.
• By-Elections happen relatively regularly in British Politics due to resignations and deaths of MPs. These by-elections are usually extremely hard for the governing party to win and are often a referendum on the party in power in Downing Street. They are important moments as they bring national focus and provides an electoral test for parties between General Elections.
• By-Election – An election that takes place between General Elections to fill a vacancy in the House of Commons.
• Recall of MPs Act (2015) – An Act passed by the UK House of Commons that allows for an MP to be recalled from Parliament by their constituents in three specific circumstances.
• Turnout – The amount of registered voters who actually do vote at an election.
• Psephology – The study of the statistics and probabilities surrounding elections.