Factors of Electoral Choice:
The Classification and Analysis

Tregubov N.A.,

Cand. Sci. (Pol. Sci.), Associate Professor, Department of Social Studies and Political Science, Institute of Socio-Humanitarian Sciences, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, tregubovna@susu.ru

elibrary_id: 503092 |

DOI: 10.17976/jpps/2017.03.08

Rubric: Theory and Methodology of Political Studies

For citation:

Tregubov N.A. Factors of Electoral Choice: The Classification and Analysis. – Polis. Political Studies. 2017. No. 3. https://doi.org/10.17976/jpps/2017.03.08

Abstract

The article is devoted to the comprehensive analysis of the vote factors. In the first part the author analyzes the current scientific understanding of the vote conditions. Initially, all the conditions of electoral choice are divided into external (contextual) and internal (direct). The electoral and party system, as well as the distinct characteristics of political regime are highlighted among the external conditions of voting. These conditions determine the set of available alternatives to the electoral choice. Internal factors of voting are divided into long-term and short-term. Group affiliation, partisanship and ideological identification are treated as long-term factors of voting. Voters’ positions on policy issues, evaluations of government performance, perceptions of the candidates’ personal qualities, information activities during the election campaign, emotions and cognitive heuristics are considered as short-term factors of voting. In the second part of the paper the author discusses some problems of studying the vote factors. The author concludes that the scientific understandings of the hierarchy of the vote factors, as well as on the procedure of the impact of these factors on the voters are extremely contradictory. To overcome the situation of uncertainty in the field of electoral research the author offers to pay attention to the problem of the heterogeneity of the vote. In conclusion an exemplary program of empirical research is formulated, focused on the development of scientific ideas about the electoral choice.

Keywords

elections; voting behavior; voting; vote factors; external and internal conditions of voting.

Full Text

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