voting behaviours

• the branch of political science that focuses on elections and voting behaviours…

  Psephology
• the model of voting behaviour that emphasises the importance of long-term, primary factors, such as class, gender, region and ethnicity…

  Social structures model
• The voting model that sees voters as psychologically attached to a party, identifying with them and supporting them regardless of other factors…


  party identification model
• where voters strongly identify with a party and loyally support them in multiple elections…

  Partisan alignment
• the term that refers to the increasing breakdown of the link between class and voting behaviour…

  class dealignment
• the term used to refer to the breakdown in the strong links that once saw voters loyally voting for the same party election after election…

  partisan dealignment
• the name given to a collection of media outlets that reach a large audience through a variety of communication methods…

  mass media
• the idea that, as working class people become more middle class, their political interests and voting behaviour begin to change…


  embourgeoisement
• example of recency or short term factors?

  Party leadership; the election campaign, party image, media influence; party performance; manifestos
• term used to describe the movement of voters from one party to another…

  swing
• the voting model that argues that voters make a conscious, self-interested choice between the parties, based on a variety of short-term factors…

  rational choice model
• this model argues that voters are influenced by the ideology of powerful and wealthy elites, who shape the national debate, particularly in the media…

  dominant ideology model
• this model argues that voting behaviour varies depending on the type of election & the particular circumstances surrounding each voter at that time…

  voting context model
• a constituency in which a particular party has such strong support that they are almost guaranteed victory…

  safe seat
• when voters decide to vote for their second choice candidate, as their first choice has little chance of defeating their least preferred candidate…

  tactical voting
• term used to describe a constituency in which the winner of the last election only narrowly beat the second place candidate…

  marginal seat
• term used to refer to the act of not voting in an election…

  abstention
• where voters spoil their ballot paper, submit a blank vote, or vote for a fringe/ ineligible candidate to express their political dissatisfaction…

  protest voting
• the term used to refer to the proportion of the registered electorate who vote in an election…

  turnout
• elections to fill positions that become vacant before the next general election is due to be held…

  by-elections
• the theory that voters will support parties with policies that are closest in proximity to their own political position…

  spatial model
• the political issues that voters consider to be the most important in an election. For example, the economy, healthcare and crime…

  salient issues
• political issues where there is broad agreement on the goals the government should pursue - for eg, crime rates and economic growth…

  valence issues
• divisive political issues that reasonable people can take different views on…

  positional issues
• the model that argues that parties will succeed if they are judged to be the most capable of delivering positive outcomes, on broadly agreed goals…

  valence model
• surveys conducted prior to an election asking people who they intend to vote for…

  opinion polls
• surveys conducted at polling stations on election day asking people how they just voted…

  exit polls
• when voters chose to vote for the party that is leading in the polls

  bandwagon effect
• when voters sympathise with, and decide to vote for, a party that is not performing well in the polls…

  boomerang effect
• the process through which individuals learn acceptable beliefs and behaviours from their family, friends, colleagues, and community


  socialisation