Electoral Geography: Approaches to Study Voting Behavior

Abstract

Approaches to understanding voting behaviour played an important role in the field of electoral geography. Studies based on voting behavior normally rely on information gleaned from primary and secondary sources of data. Aggregate or composite election data for states or constituencies is convenient for examining election results, such as differences in votes between states. Different perspectives or approaches played an important role in examining the factors influencing the way people vote. This type of information usually consists of data related to voter's behavior and their specific socio-economic characteristics etc. Electoral geography involves collecting and analysing data through various techniques and approaches. The data analysis study in electoral geography usually focuses on ascertaining spatial patterns of party performance and voters' behaviour. It is thus clear that electoral geography has a special place for approaches that are useful for spatial analysis. The primary aim of this study is to explain various types of methods and approaches used in electoral geography for the analysis of voting behaviour. This study provides researchers, geographers, political and social scientists with a better understanding of the skills to analyse election data.