Authors

• Nurmela, Sakari (Gallup Finland)
• Pehkonen, Juhani (Gallup Finland)

Keywords

election campaigns, information sources, presidential candidates, presidential elections, values, voting, voting behaviour, youth

Abstract

The data was collected between the first and second round of the Finnish presidential elections in 2000. The object of the survey was to study the interest of young people in politics and in the presidential elections, their opinions on the election campaign, voting, political parties, information sources on the election, and the person and tasks of the president. The respondents were asked how important different factors were when they made their decision to vote, did they vote in the elections, for whom and on what grounds. Those who had abstained were asked if it had been self-evident that they were not going to vote, and why they abstained. All respondents were asked whether they were going to vote in the second round of the elections and for whom. In conclusion, the respondents were asked how important certain things were in their lives: spending time with friends, spending time with family, leisure time hobbies, exercising, good income, etc.

Background variables included the respondent's gender, year of birth, vocational education, economic activity, occupational group, household composition, housing tenure, periods of unemployment, Internet use, and whether the respondent was going to vote in the forthcoming municipal elections.