Factors Which Influence Voting Behavior Flashcards
Class, Gender, Age, Ethnicity and Region
Where do Conservatives typically do well in?
White, rural or surburban and socially conservative areas
Where do Labour typically do well in, since 2005?
Industrial urban areas
Which party does well in Scotland and why?
SNP, because they oppose London centred policies and new right (prefer devolution and solutions to specific social and economic problems on Scotland).
Which party finds more general success in Wales?
Labour, because Industrial areas and the west is generally more nationalist.
Which party does well in N.Ireland?
Has it’s own party system with unionist and nationalist views (religious and cultural differences).
Which party succeeds in London?
Majority Labour (ethnic diversity, economic differences, public service reliance, socially liberal).
Which party does better in Rural England?
Overwhelmingly Conservative (Mostly white, economically and socially conservative)
Which party does better in Industrial North England?
Labour, they focus on unemployment, poverty (there is alot of in this area) and it is ethnically diverse.
Which party finds more support in Home Counties?
Mainly Conservative (upper classes on London commuter belt, mostly white, economically prosperous).
Until when did class largely determine voting behavior?
1980s
How do the classes typically vote?
A, B, C1 Conservative (middle class) - C2, D, E Labour (working class)
In what year did 88% if the votes go to the two main parties because of class based choice over employment and inflation?
1970
What is class dealignment?
When people no longer vote with their social class.
There has been an increase is partisan dealignment, what is it?
When people don’t vote for the same consistently (swing voters).
What did the increase in partisan dealignment lead to?
6 key parties in 2015, although 82% of the vote went to the 2 main parties.
Why is the female vote desirable?
Women are less likely to vote.
How have Labour targeted women to gain their vote?
2015 visited 75 constituencies and spoke specifically to women and in 1997 Blair Introduced women only short lists.
How have the Conservatives attempted to gain the female vote?
2014 Cameron worked to increase number of female MP’s and Sid the Conservatives would “lead the change on women’s equality”.
Is gender still a key determining factor?
Not really, 2017 equal split with women vote, 6% men vote conservative. Small differences in party choice too, in 2015, 6% more women vote Labour.
What’s the difference of opinion between what men and women prioritise?
Women prioritise health and education, Men prioritise Foreign policy and nuclear power.
How does ethnicity affect voting behavior roughly?
White lean right, Non-white lean left (2010, 68% ethnic minority support labour)
Why do Non-white tend to vote against conservatives?
Legacy of anti-minority campaigning, 1968 “river of blood” speech against anti-discrimination legislation. More ethnic groups in industrial areas. Increased immigration after 1950s. Labour policies on social equality benefit new citizens.
How does age affect voting behavior?
Older they are, more likely they are to vote, young left old right.
Why does online polling tend not to reflect results?
Focuses on young people, they often don’t vote in the real thing.
Give an example of when a party has tailored their policies according to age.
Conservatives support pensions and increase uni fees
2017 69% 70+ vote Tory, 66% 18-19 vote labour
Did Corbyn find success targeting young people in the 2017 election?
Yes Labour won 2/3 of under 30s vote.
