Voting Behaviour And The Media- Non-social Factors And Voting Behaviour, Salience

Question 1

What does salience concern ?

Answer 1

Salience concerns the identification of ‘salient’ or very important issues at stake in the election.

Question 2

Are salient issues influential ?

Answer 2

Many voters are influenced by such salient issues, so parties often make them the main elements in their election campaigns.

Question 3

Examples of salient issues that seem to have affected voting behaviour:

Answer 3

+ 2019: the issue of Brexit and whether voters preferred a second referendum or Boris Johnson’s ‘oven-ready’ deal to ‘get Brexit done’

+ 2010; the issue of the deficit and public finances, and whether there would be public-sector cuts or tax rises to address the problem

+ 1979: the issue of trade union power after a winter of industrial unrest