How individuals’ social characteristics impact the likelihood to waste a vote – evidence from Great Britain, Germany and France

Corinna Kroeber,Cal Le Gall,Sarah C Dingler

doi:10.1080/17457289.2020.1718155

Abstract

ABSTRACT Which social characteristics of voters reduce the chances to waste a vote? Surprisingly, little is known about the commonalities and differences of citizens who do (not) make their vote count. In this article, we argue that levels of education and income, gender and age shape the likelihood to waste a vote through two channels: the voting motivation and the ability to correctly assess the viability of candidates. Drawing on data from the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems, we analyse voting behaviour in six elections in Great Britain, Germany and France between 2005 and 2015. Our analyses demonstrate that holding a university degree is not related to effective voting. Differences in cognitive capacities as a consequence of formal education are hence not decisive for voters’ ability to assess candidates’ viability correctly. Instead, our results show that many of those wasting their ballots are male and young voters who tend to knowingly decide to support candidates unlikely to win. Overall, these findings shed light on wasted votes as one of the factors that might balance and reinforce existing social inequalities in the political process.

Highlights

The idea that all citizens are equal is the basis of democracy
We explore the impact of education, income, gender and age on individuals’ propensity to make a vote count
Our findings demonstrate that gender and age are the social characteristics most decisive for the chance to spoil a ballot

Summary

Introduction

The idea that all citizens are equal is the basis of democracy. Most importantly, everyone should have a voice in the election of politicians who will represent and govern and, through this mean, impact future decision-makers and decisions. The second and third model reveal how individual social characteristics correlate with different types of wasted votes outlined earlier and enables us to narrow down the causal mechanisms at play For this purpose, Model 2 only includes voters who state to sincerely prefer a party unlikely to win (N = 4067). Model 2 only includes voters who state to sincerely prefer a party unlikely to win (N = 4067) Within this sub-group, those who waste their votes either aim to inform other voters about the chances of a minor party in future elections, engage in expressive voting for small contenders or are tactical voters who made false decisions. Neither of these difference that follow from the nature of the majoritarian electoral system, country differences in the political and party system, or election-specific factors compensates for the effects of gender and age on efficient voting

Conclusion

Findings

Notes on contributors