Voting patterns

Question 1

What are the long term trends for voting behaviour (6)

Answer 1

• Class alignment
• Partisan alignment
• Regional Voting
• Age
• Gender
• Ethnic groups

Question 2

Class voting

Answer 2

Certain classes have a connection with specific political parties and will principally vote for them

Question 3

Class alignment definition + example

Answer 3

refers to individuals identifying with certain classes

-The 1950s were a high point for partisan alignment, since then there has been a blurring of class identification (Rising aspirational middle class) e.g 1979 election

Question 4

Partisan alignment

Answer 4

refers to the attachment that exists between an individual and a certain political party

Question 5

Relationship between class and partisan alignment

Answer 5

Normally coexist alongside each other. As people stop identifying with a social class, they stop identifying with a political party

Question 6

Regional voting + example

Answer 6

• closely associated with class, parties having electoral heartlands and electoral desserts
• SNP won 56/59 Scottish Westminster seats in the 2015 general election

Question 7

Age influence + example

Answer 7

• Trends show young people tend to vote Labour. Could be attributed to older people having greater interest in maintaining the status quo
• 27% of 18-24 year olds voted Conservative in the 2017 election, compared to 47% of 65+

Question 8

Ethnic groups voting behaviour + stats

Answer 8

Ethnic groups more likely to vote Labour, overlap with class, as poorer ethnic minority groups favour labour

-Approx. 60-70% of BAME voters, voted Labour in the last 4 elections

Question 9

What are the short term factors that affect voting behaviour (6)

Answer 9

Rational Choice theory, Issue voting, Valence, Party leader, Governing competency and Economic management

Question 10

Rational choice theory

Answer 10

Voters act like individual consumers, choosing the party they believe will best benefit them. Therefore, successful parties are able to adapt their policies to ones that are popular with most of the electorate.

Question 11

Rational choice theory- EXAMPLE

Answer 11

E.g in 1979, Thatcher changed the Con. Parties polies, as did Blair for New Labour in 1997

Question 12

Issue voting

Answer 12

voters make decisions on a range of issues, and convert the preference of an issue into a vote for the party.

Question 13

Counter to Issue Voting + example

Answer 13

issue voting is problematic as it relies on a high level of political engagement from voters, also is not particularly good at explaining voting patterns

-1987 and 1992, voters preferred Labour policies but the Conservatives won the elections.

Question 14

Valence definition

Answer 14

idea that people support the party best able to deliver on issues they care about. Care about policies and how much they trust a party to deliver these policies.

Question 15

Valence example

Answer 15

2017- many voters questioned whether Labour could deliver economic prosperity, even though they liked their policies of abolishing tuition fees, renationalising industries and giving the NHS more funding

Question 16

Party leader significance + example

Answer 16

charisma and personality of party leaders is crucial to party’s success. Often seen as the face of their party

-1997 election, voters preferred the young, energetic Blair contrasted against Major.

Question 17

Governing competency definition

Answer 17

assessment of how effective a party has been in government with their; control of events, policy and Party unity/strong leadership

Question 18

Control of events example

Answer 18

Major’s government lost in 1997, when voters felt they were stumbling from one crisis to another, unable to control events

Question 19

Government competency of policy example

Answer 19

Thatcher government stuck firmly to its promises to change the economic model and was rewarded with electoral success

Question 20

Party unity and strong leadership example

Answer 20

Labour Party under Blair shows how voters reward the party who have a clear vision and a united party

Question 21

Economic management significance to voters

Answer 21

Voters are more likely to support a party that they feel is able to deliver economic prosperity. Equally voters are less likely to support a governing party which they feel has been responsible for mismanaging the economy

Question 22

Economic management example in influencing voters (2)

Answer 22

• 1978 ‘winter of discontent’ played a key role in Thatcher’s victory in 1979.
• In 2010, Conservatives were able to blame Labour under Brown for the 2008 financial crisis.