You may be up for election or reelection to a board in an upcoming election cycle, or maybe there is a bylaw amendment you would like to pass for your club. The issues you care about are important—but how do you get voters to understand your position?
Voting behavior can tell you a lot about the thought processes people have. This information can help you tailor your speech and stance on a particular issue to compel voters to see things from your point of view.
However, times are changing. With more and more organizations and roles switching to remote participation, hybrid voting systems can leave you unsure of where voters stand. You could be making your case on a Zoom call with several cameras turned off, making you feel like you’re talking to a wall and have no way to gauge the temperature of the proverbial room.
So, what is the most important influence on voting? The answer is a little more complicated than you’d think. It depends on several factors, including the issue voters vote on and in what context. For example, presidential elections bring out a different side of people than regulation amendments for a country club. However, there is some overlap.
The three major influences on voting behavior boil down to personal background, candidate qualifications and image, and accessibility.
The definition of voting behavior is straightforward: it’s how voters behave and vote in elections. This can include who they vote for, why they vote the way they do, and if they even vote at all. Electoral behavior explains how and why certain decisions are made.
The three major influences on voting behavior that applies to nearly any election are:
Let’s dive into each of these with a little more detail:
A voter’s background will have a major impact on how they vote. Their background includes gender, age, income level, family, location, and more. This is one of the influences candidates truly have no control over because they can’t alter a voter’s background or always accurately predict how this will sway them when they vote.
Additionally, intersectionalities can impact how a voter chooses to vote. Sometimes, elements of their background will conflict. For example, religion, ethnicity, income level, and peer groups are easier to predict.
However, in issues that conflict with generalized Christian beliefs, these voters face a new level of pressure and uncertainty because they may be inclined to vote in a way that aligns more with candidates of one party over another. These are called cross-pressures, and every voter will encounter their unique cross-pressures when it comes time to vote.
Voters tend to place high importance on a candidate’s relevant experience and overall impression of the candidate. One reason incumbents typically get reelected is that voters appreciate and value a candidate with familiarity and expertise. However, other voters might prioritize a candidate with a fresh perspective and new ideas. Some voters might prefer a candidate who reminds them of themselves in values, background, or experience.
Depending on the size of your organization, voters may have frequent contact or a personal relationship with candidates. In this situation, personal biases may affect how they vote. For example, voters are more likely to side with a candidate they have a positive relationship with or an impression that the candidate is trustworthy.
Voters who can’t vote simply don’t. Many factors can impact voters' ability or inability to submit their ballots. Circumstances can arise that can impede a voter’s ability to vote, such as falling unexpectedly ill without a proxy to vote in their place or they’re out of the country. However, most would agree that no matter the circumstances, a voter still has the right to vote.
Hybrid voting systems and electronic voting allow voters to submit their secure ballots remotely within the approved timeframe. If you’re wary about implementing a digital voting system to your election, these elections do get audited in the same manner as paper ballots. This will ensure all votes are counted accurately and are not compromised.
Voting behaviors can be challenging to predict but not impossible. The three main factors that impact how (and if) voters will vote apply to nearly any election–these are a voter’s background, their impression of the candidates, and their ability to submit their ballots.
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