Heuristics and Voting

Conclusion

Voting based on where someone falls in economically.

While this is the least effective method of voting, some voters align themselves with specific genders or races.

Research is the most effective heuristic that can be used. Being well-informed makes a sound voter.

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ResearchWhat we know

Career TitleWhat they do

In smaller elections, officials may be restricted from announcing their party affiliation. Voters may vote based on job title instead.

Party AlignmentRight vs Left

This is the most common heuristic used when choosing candidates. Simply voting based on party affiliation.

Socioeconomic Background

Physical TraitsRace/Gender

Heuristics

Why we vote the way we do

Weaknesses to research:

Researching a particular candidate can be challenging. With many points of view available as well as anti-electee propoganda, sifting through the information can be a daunting task. When researching it is best to use trusted sites and avoid counter-campaign sites.

Voting based on race or gender:

Some voters may align themselves with electees based on gender or race. They believe that their electee will have the same beliefs, but this is not always true. We know that there are members of all parties comprised of both genders and various races. This means that race or gender does not necessarily equate to having the same beliefs.

Voting based on socioeconomic background:

Some voters would rather vote for someone who comes from the same socioeconomic background as them, meaning that if they are middle-class, they are more likely to vote for someone from the same social class believing they hold the same values as themselves. This is not always the case.

Why this isn't always a great idea:

Voting based on party affiliation leaves room to elect someone who doesn't necessarily have the same views on topics as you do. You can have party-affiliated representatives with very different views on the same subjects as their fellow party members.

Why voting on job title can be a bad idea:

Not all career titles ensure that an electee is a viable candidate for election. Just because they held a certain position does not mean they are qualified to hold a particular office. There is no guarantee that the electee has the best interest at heart simply based on their current employment status.

Making better choices:

While we may use these heuristics to cast our votes currently, we should make practice of enveloping all of them together to try to make better, more well-informed decisions about the officials we are electing into office. These officials hold tremendous power and we need to be making informed decisions about those affecting our daily lives.