Published 23 January 2024 at 11.10
Domestic. In the 2014 and 2018 elections, SD's voters voted early to a greater extent than others. The reason seems to have been visible ballot papers and the risk of social influence in the polling station, shows a new study from the University of Gothenburg.
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– It is generally less socially acceptable to vote for SD than for other parties, although it varies within different areas and parts of Sweden. The stigma can contribute to people refraining from voting for SD or not openly talking about their true party preferences, says Hilma Lindskog, PhD student in political science.
Together with three other political scientists, she has investigated whether SD voters voted early in to a greater extent than other voters in the national elections of 2014 and 2018. The researchers also studied whether the phenomenon was more widespread in residential areas where acceptance of SD was low. The study is based on data from the Election Research Program at the University of Gothenburg and nearly 9,000 individuals.
– The results are consistent with our theory that SD voters vote early to a greater extent than other voters, and in particular if they vote in areas where few others support the party. This applied to both elections we examined and appears to have been a strategy to preserve the secrecy of the election.
Up until the 2018 election, the Swedish electoral system allowed the ballots to be placed in full view in the country's polling stations so that everyone could see which party one would vote for. Later, the electoral law was changed, and starting with the 2019 EU elections, the ballots are placed behind screens in the polling stations.
However, the screens do not seem to have made any difference to the SD voters in the 2022 election.
– Partly it is established among SD's core voters to vote early, and partly the party encourages early voting by sending out ballots to all households before election day. However, our study shows that it is important for the rules of the game of democracy that electoral systems protect electoral integrity so that people can feel safe to vote how they want, regardless of party affiliation, says Hilma Lindskog.