Political Science 3336F/G Lecture 3: Lesson 3 - Models of Voting Behaviour
20 Dec 2018
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Why do we vote: maximize personal benefit, compare expected benefit from each candidate winning, then choose. Rational choice: will vote if benefit>costs, e(value)=prob(benefit) costs + duty, expected value, 3 options, vote for preferred candidate, vote strategically, vote randomly, vote for preferred candidate if perceive difference in benefit. Spatial model of voting: vote for candidate whose position on the issues is closest to your own, one dimension in terms of left or right wing, will choose candidate closest, two dimensions similar to vote compass. If objective characteristics are all that matter, why do vote patterns change: argue that issues, candidates, party loyalty matters, what matters in particular elections vary, candidates vary, party you identify with can matter a lot. If issues are salient, how candidates relate to them matters. Partisan identification: the umoved mover stable attachment to political party that dictates how an individual votes, gained through experiences or socialization.
