Elections in Context

A common characteristic of all modern representative democracies is the fair and free election of legislators. The composition of legislative bodies depends on a number of different factors. First, elected legislators are expected to represent the political preferences of their electorates. These preferences may change over time due to shifts in the social structure. Second, the preferences of individual voters are aggregated at the district level. The boundaries of the districts, their magnitudes as well as socio-economic composition have impact on parties and voters and influence the final composition of a parliament. Another factor explaining voting behavior are historical legacies which influence the political culture of a given area. The outcome of seat allocation is also moderated by the institutional context, such as rules stating how to cast a valid vote. Finally, social forces operating within districts set incentives for MPs to engage in different types of legislative behavior. This section invites all types of contributions that focus on the context in which elections take place. Particularly, we would like to encourage work discussing the impact of institutions on choices made by voters and analyses of the interaction between electorates and elected officials. More specifically, we are proposing to conduct the following four panels at the ECPR General Conference 2020 in Innsbruck: Socio-Demographic Context of Electoral Behavior Chair: PD Dr. Kamil Marcinkiewicz (University of Hamburg) The impact of socio-demographic characteristics of voters on their electoral behavior has been extensively discussed in the literature at least since Lazarsfeld et al. (1944) and Berelson et al. (1954). This discussion has been recently revived by Achen and Bartels (2016), who point out to the group identities resulting from socio-demographic characteristics as main factor explaining choices made by voters. In this panel, we would like to reflect upon current changes in social structures, employment patterns, religious affiliations within the electorates and their consequences for party competition. Studies discussing the rise of populism and changing social coalitions behind parties and candidates are welcome as well. Spatial and Historical Context of Electoral Behavior Chair: PD Dr. Kamil Marcinkiewicz (University of Hamburg) Voting decisions of individuals are aggregated in representative democracies within electoral districts and then used to determine the composition of parliaments. The district-level results are hence of particular importance for political parties. Work with aggregated data is, however, considered analytically challenging and controversial. Some spatial variables can, nevertheless, be also collected at the individual level. What can we learn from spatial analysis of election results about underlying social processes? Do historical legacies and social composition of districts have impact on election results? How should we go about examining the role of spatial factors? What are the pros and cons of aggregate-level analysis and at what level should the data aggregation take place? Institutional Context of Electoral Behavior Chair: Dr. Michael Jankowski (University of Oldenburg) The design of electoral systems defines how voters can cast their vote(s). There are various potential consequences of institutional contexts on electoral behavior. Even small differences between electoral systems might have a strong impact on voting behavior. We are interested in all kind of contributions which address the question of how electoral systems influence the behavior of voters. This includes studies which analyze the impact of electoral systems on turnout as well as on party and candidate choice. Electoral Behavior and Legislative Behavior Chair: Dr. Michael Jankowski (University of Oldenburg) This panel concentrates on the interaction between legislators and the electorate. Legislators are elected from district with certain social composition. They may be expected to take this into consideration both in the electoral campaigns before being elected for the first time and during their work in the parliament. The better their behavior in the parliament corresponds with preferences of their constituents, the higher their chances of securing re-election. Then, they also have to take into consideration the institutional context in which the voting decisions take place. Our session invites panels and papers which analyze this relationship between electoral behavior and legislative behavior in different contexts. For all panels, we encourage the submission of comparative papers as well as single case studies. Studies following different methodological approaches are welcome, the preference is, however, for quantitative methods. Researchers applying innovative techniques of data collection or data analysis are particularly encouraged to submit their work. The unit of analysis can be individual voters or legislators as well aggregates such as parties, governments, states, electoral districts or other sub-national units. There is no geographical or temporal limitation as far as objects of analysis are concerned. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal designs will be taken into consideration. Short biographies of Section Chairs: PD Dr. Kamil Marcinkiewicz is a lecturer in political science and social science research methods at the University of Hamburg, Germany. He has published e.g. in Political Behavior, Party Politics, Electoral Studies, Politics & Gender, Acta Politica, German Politics, East European Politics & Societies, and East European Politics. His research focuses on electoral systems as well as parliamentary and electoral behavior in Poland, Germany, and the Czech Republic. Dr. Michael Jankowski is a lecturer at the University of Oldenburg, Germany. He has published in journals such as Party Politics, Electoral Studies, West European Politics, Journal of European Public Policy, Politics & Gender, German Politics, East European Politics & Societies, and the British Journal of Politics and International Relations. He uses innovative methodological approaches for analyzing the impact of electoral systems, party politics, and voting behavior. He is also interested in the analysis of EU’s performance in international institutions.