VOTING

Question 1

THEORETICAL UNDERPINNINGS OF VOTING
BEHAVIOUR: SOCIOLOGICAL MODEL

Answer 1

Focuses on the influences of social factors. Is known to as School of
Columbia These theorists infer
that people who vote are influenced by their ‘original political
predisposition’ such as socio-economic status, religion, language,
gender, race and area of residence

Question 2

THEORETICAL UNDERPINNINGS OF VOTING
BEHAVIOUR: RATIONAL CHOICE THEORY

Answer 2

Puts emphasis on variables such as rationality, choice, uncertainty and
information. This model of economic voting is also dubbed: School of
Rochester.
Rationalists choice theorists argue that elections serve to choose a
government and, consequently, rational behavior in an election is one
that is oriented towards this objective and not to any other

Question 3

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ELECTIONS AND VOTING

Answer 3

Elections: Is the process of electing a party or a person to a
particular position.

Voting: Is an integral part of the election process. Voting is the
act of making a decision by open show of hand or by casting in a
hidden ballot.

Question 4

THEORETICAL UNDERPINNINGS OF VOTING
BEHAVIOUR: THE PSYCHOSOCIAL MODEL

Answer 4

Holds a belief that party identification is the main factor behind the behavior
of voters . This model is identified as School of Michigan. “Partisanship is a perceptual filter through which the voters vote
out of long-term loyalty and with a sense of identification with a
particular political party.

Question 5

PROCESSES OF ELECTIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Answer 5

There are two processes of elections in SA.
1. National and Provincial Elections
▪ In National and Provincial Elections, you vote for a political party to get seats in the national or provincial legislatures.

2. Municipal Elections
   ▪ You vote for a political party and a ward councillor to get seats at the municipal level.
   ▪ If you live in a metropolitan area (e.g. Johannesburg OR Cape Town), you’ll receive 2 ballots: 1 for a ward councillor and 1 for a party.
   If you live in a Local Council with wards you’ll receive 3 ballots:
   1 for a ward councillor for the Local Council; 1 for a party for the Local Council; and 1 for a party for the District Council.
   ▪ Municipal by-elections take place within 90 days after a municipal ward council seat becomes vacant due to death, expulsion or resignation of a ward councillor.

Question 6

CHALLENGES OF DEMOCRACY

Answer 6

Growing economic and social inequalities among the people:
▪ The crucial challenge in democracy is the growing social and economic inequality among the people.
▪ Although all the citizens have the right to vote and fight elections only rich people have a chance to win the election.
The poor are sometimes even forced to sell their votes to fulfill their basic necessities of life like food, clothing and shelter.

Role of anti-social elements:
▪ The role of anti-social elements has increased very much during the elections. Voters are coerced to vote for a particular candidate or party.
▪ In some countries vote rigging also takes place during the elections.

Corruption and inefficiency:
▪ In many democratic countries of the world, political leaders and government officials are corrupt, dishonest and Inefficient (Tenderpreneurship opened corruption doors, nepotism still rife,
cadre deployment).
▪ People do not take interest in elections and have no faith in government officials once these issues become dominant. This
affects the working of democracy in the country very badly.

Question 7

TYPES OF COALITION GOVERNMENT

Answer 7

Hung council: arises when no political party wins more than 50% of the seats in the municipal council, thus making the formation of a coalition or minority government inevitable.
Kingmaker: refers to a political party, or independent candidate whose vote or votes tip the balance of power in the council. In
practice, the kingmaker thus decides which combination of parties will govern in a coalition.

Question 8

If no party has a majority, is there no Government?

Answer 8

Parties with more seats may decide:
* To negotiate with another party or parties to build a coalition.
* To try and govern with a minority of Members of Parliament.
* They may decide to form a coalition or govern as a minority government.

Question 9

Why are coalitions in municipalities unstable?

Answer 9

The councillors from the coalition government must cooperate.
▪ Cooperation in council requires that coalition partners
attend, and remain in council meetings, and support the motions of the coalition partners.
▪ Their cooperation is necessary to establish a quorum required to take valid decisions or pass motions that require an ordinary or supporting majority vote as envisaged in the Municipal Structures Act.