POL101Y1 Lecture Notes - Compulsory Voting, William Riker, Social Psychology
21 Apr 2013
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Canada used fpto electoral system: mps are elected from single member districts on a basis of who wins a plurality of the vote. Indicate which party we want to see lead the countries government. And/or indicate which party we want to have more strength/representation in parliament: voice support for particular policies or leaders. And/or ensure that the party of our choice gets funding for future elections. Civic duty: some people vote out of obligation, some people vote out of habit. Once people vote, they rarely stop (for good). Challenge is often seen as getting people to vote for the first time. Habits become automated through repetition in the same or similar contexts. Aldrich et al find that indicators of habit matters. Motivational variables have significant and substantive effects on turnout on those who do not have a strong habit of voting: social psychological explanations of vote, rational choice explanations (calculus of voting) Ambivalence: see differences, but cannot choose between them.
