Voting Behaviour- Party identification

Question 1

What is the party identification model of voting behaviour?

Answer 1

Voters form long life attachment to parties and remain loyal ‘life long voters’
Usually based on our parents

Question 2

What is party alignment?

Answer 2

where voters strongly identify with a party and loyally support them in multiple elections

Question 3

What is the evidence for party dealignment since 1974?

Answer 3

Evidence for dealignment is because political party membership levels have dropped dramatically since 1946
skilled working class c2 in 2010 went to 37% cons and lab 29%
Unskilled working class cons 1974-22% to 31% 2010 and lab 57% to 4-%
Conservatives had most support from AB and C1 voters
Labour had most support from C2 and DE

Question 4

What is partisan dealignment?

Answer 4

where voters no longer strongly identify with a party and support changes within an election

Question 5

Reasons for partisan dealignment?

Answer 5

Changing economy- party’s will vote on how the party deal with economy
Sobility- ability for social mobility
Party policy’s- party’s winning over opposing party votes e.g. M Thatcher’s appeal to w/c voters selling council houses
Participation- Party’s don’t really have loyal voters so have to reach out more

Question 6

2019 election for evidence?

Answer 6

Alignment with White/DE voters
Unionalist DUP leave voters and Nationalist Sinn Fain remain in Northern ireland
-Electoral deserts
-Green voting
-SNP support
-2/3rd of voters new who they where going to vote for at beginning of campaign