Tekijät

• Moring, Tom (University of Helsinki)
• TNS Gallup Finland

Asiasanat

advertising, election campaigns, elections, parliamentary elections, party identification, political allegiance, political behaviour, political parties, television advertising, voting, voting advice applications

Sisällön kuvaus

The survey charts voting behaviour in the 2003 Parliamentary elections which were held just before the study was conducted. The survey was conducted as part of the "Changes in Finnish TV Election Campaigns" project. Respondents were first asked which political party they voted for in the 2000 municipal elections and in the 1999 Parliamentary elections. Respondents were asked to place themselves on the left-right axis in order to examine political orientation.

In connection with the 2003 Parliamentary elections, respondents were asked did they vote, which party they voted for and why, and which issues were important in making the voting decision, for example, employment, taxation, social security, and education. Respondents were also asked to state at which point they made their voting decision, which one they chose first: political party or candidate, which factors influenced their choice of candidate, and from which information sources they had received information concerning their decision.

Election campaigns preceding the 2003 Parliamentary elections were investigated by asking respondents whether they had followed TV's news, current affairs and entertainment programmes connected with the elections. They were also asked whether they had seen newspaper, television and radio advertising of some political party or candidate or received direct mailing from a candidate. Visiting the Internet sites of political parties or candidates and using a voting advice application / candidate selector on the Internet were surveyed.

Respondents also assessed to what extent the presidents of political parties or the selection of the next Prime Minister affected their voting decision. Opinions on the responsibility of political parties to declare their view on Nato membership before elections were examined. Those who had abstained from voting were asked reasons for their abstention. In conclusion, respondents were asked which party would be the least unpleasant alternative for them.

Background variables included respondent's year of birth, gender, mother tongue, basic and vocational education, occupational group, industry of employment, trade union membership, county of residence, type of accommodation, housing tenure, and gross income of the household.