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Tactical Voting at the 2010 British General Election: Rational Behaviour in Local Contexts?

Author

Listed:
  • Ron Johnston

    (School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1SS, England)

  • Charles Pattie

    (Department of Geography, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, England)

Abstract

Tactical voting is an important element of British electoral behaviour, with approximately one sixth of all voters surveyed indicating that they voted tactically at the 2010 general election. Such voting for one's second preference party rather than one's first in order to prevent a less preferred party winning in a constituency is only rational in certain circumstances, reflecting the local context and electors' perceptions of the tactical situation there. Using 2010 British Election Study Internet survey data, this paper uses three separate definitions of tactical voting (two self-defined by the respondents, one inferred from a separate indication of their preferences) to test whether rational voting models successfully predict such behaviour. The findings are very clear and consistent with the theory, for all three groups.

Suggested Citation

  • Ron Johnston & Charles Pattie, 2011. "Tactical Voting at the 2010 British General Election: Rational Behaviour in Local Contexts?," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 43(6), pages 1323-1340, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:43:y:2011:i:6:p:1323-1340
    DOI: 10.1068/a43512
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. André Blais & Marc André Bodet, 2006. "How Do Voters Form Expectations about the Parties' Chances of Winning the Election?," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 87(3), pages 477-493, September.
    2. Alvarez, R. Michael & Nagler, Jonathan, 2000. "A New Approach for Modelling Strategic Voting in Multiparty Elections," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 30(1), pages 57-75, January.
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