Economics, Entitlements and Social Issues: Voter Choice in the 1996 Presidential Election

Michael R. Alvarez and Jonathan Nagler

No 1021, Working Papers from California Institute of Technology, Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences

Abstract: Theory: Contemporary theories of presidential election outcomes, especially the economic voting and spatial issue voting models, are used to examine voter choice in the 1996 presidential election. Hypotheses: First, we look at the effects of voter perceptions of the national economy onvoter support for Clinton. Second we look at the effects of candidate and voter positions on ideology and on a number of issues. Last, we examine whether respondents' views on other issues - social issues such as abortion as well as issues revolving around entitlements and taxation that were emphasized by the campaigns - played significant roles in this election. Methods: Multinomial probit analysis of the 1996 National Election Studies data; simulations based on counterfactual scenarios based on different macroeconomic conditions and different issue platforms of candidates. Results: The effects of economic perceptions are much greater than the effects of voter issue positions on the election outcome. Some social issues, namely abortion, did play a role in determining the election outcome. The presence of a third centrist candidate limited the ability of other candidates to improve their vote shares by moving in the issue space.

Pages: 34 pages
Date: 1997-10
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Published: American Journal of Political Science , October 1998, vol. 42, no. 4, 1349-1363

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