The geography of elections 1985-1993: a principal components analysis

Authors

  • Κώστας Ζαφειρόπουλος
  • Θόδωρος Χατζηπαντελής

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26266/jtovol16pp91-110

Keywords:

Elections, Statistics

Abstract

We study the geographical distribution of the vote for the parliamentary elections of the period 1985-1993, in each geographical unit we assign, instead of the percentages of the parties for the elections of the period 1985-1993. The factor scores which are extracted by a principal components analysis on the percentages. By means of the factor scores we describe the "electoral position" of each geographical unit for the period 1985-1993. Using the factor scores we are also able to order the units according to their voting behaviour and to mark those units that are close to the "electoral position" that represents the national party percentages. The use of factor scores enables us to calculate the electoral 'distance' of every electoral district from the national position and to estimate the "internal electoral homogeneity" of it. As the "internal homogeneity" of an electoral district we define the degree of electoral uniformity of the smaller regional units within the district. For instance, if the district is an electoral constituency then the smaller units are the Communities within it. By finding the electoral position of every regional unit we are able to estimate the degree of homogeneity of the constituency. Factor scores, distance and internal homogeneity are computed for every electoral constituency. Factors are also extracted for the communities of the first (A) electoral constituency of Thessaloniki. To illustrate that the electoral position of the communities is sufficiently described by two components: the national component and the local one.

Published

2015-10-16

Issue

Section

Articles