Understanding the Relationship between Constituent Characteristics and Disadvantageous Voting Behavior

Abstract

While it is recognized that citizens prioritize different issues when casting their ballots, this thesis attempts to improve understanding of the behavior that leads people to seemingly vote against their interests. Using constituent voting information and United States senator roll call voting data, I analyze the demographic and ideological similarities of Americans who elected representatives that disservice them on polices relating to women's issues and immigration reform. The voting data from 2008, 2010, and 2012 merged with roll call voting data from 2013 and 2014 allows observation of the common demographic and ideological variables that appear to lead to disadvantageous voting behavior. The results of the models that analyze the women's issue bills reveal that females with higher levels of education, religiosity, and family income, less progressive opinions on abortion, less interest in public affairs, more conservative political ideologies, and those who are retired are more likely to exhibit disadvantageous voting behavior. The results of the immigration policy regression analysis illustrate that immigrants who are male, have higher levels of education and religiosity, have a more conservative political ideology, and who are retired are more likely to elect a candidate that will disservice them. The robustness checks support these conclusions.