Electoral volatility
Do Volatile Voters Vote Less Correctly?
Abstract The literature on electoral volatility and the literature on electoral campaigns hold contradictory views on voters switching vote (intention) during the campaign. In this note, we shed new light on this contradiction, making two contributions. First, we investigate the extent to which stable and volatile voters choose the correct party. Second, we distinguish […] Read more
Are the Supporters of Populist Parties Loyal Voters?
Abstract Scholars of electoral behavior regularly link political dissatisfaction to two types of behavior: voting for populist parties and unstable voting behavior. It is therefore not surprising that the electorates of populist parties are generally assumed to be rather volatile. In this paper, we argue that this is not necessarily the case – in particular […] Read more
The time of the vote choice in Belgium
Electoral Volatility in Belgium
Abstract Increasing voter volatility has led to a renewed research interest in determinants of party switching. While previous research has mainly focused on the characteristics of volatile voters, less is known about how stable and volatile voters decide what party to vote for. Using panel data spanning two consecutive electoral cycles in Belgium, this study […] Read more
Stability and Change in Voting Behaviour
Summary The presence of electoral volatility, and the fact that voters can change parties from one election to another is essential for the well functioning of representative democracies. Only if voters are open to switching parties can changes in public opinion be translated into alterations in which parties are elected, how many votes they obtain, […] Read more