A vote of confidence: gender differences in attitudes to electoral participation and experience in South Africa
SOURCE: Journal of African Elections
OUTPUT TYPE: Journal Article
PUBLICATION YEAR: 2012
TITLE AUTHOR(S): B.Roberts, J.Struwig, A.Grossberg
KEYWORDS: ELECTIONS, GENDER
DEPARTMENT: Developmental, Capable and Ethical State (DCES), Equitable Education and Economies (IED), GE Support Service (DED:CE), GE Support Service (BDE), GE Support Service (DCEO:OE), GE Support Service (HR), GE Support Service (IT), GE Support Service (LS), GE Support Service (IS), GE Support Service (RT), GE Support Service (IC), GE Support Service (SD), GE Support Service (PTA Caf), GE Support Service (OPS : Fac), GE Support Service (OPS: Build), GE Support Service (DCEO_MS), GE Support Service (Protect)
Print: HSRC Library: shelf number 7508
HANDLE: 20.500.11910/3176
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11910/3176
OUTPUT TYPE: Journal Article
PUBLICATION YEAR: 2012
TITLE AUTHOR(S): B.Roberts, J.Struwig, A.Grossberg
KEYWORDS: ELECTIONS, GENDER
DEPARTMENT: Developmental, Capable and Ethical State (DCES), Equitable Education and Economies (IED), GE Support Service (DED:CE), GE Support Service (BDE), GE Support Service (DCEO:OE), GE Support Service (HR), GE Support Service (IT), GE Support Service (LS), GE Support Service (IS), GE Support Service (RT), GE Support Service (IC), GE Support Service (SD), GE Support Service (PTA Caf), GE Support Service (OPS : Fac), GE Support Service (OPS: Build), GE Support Service (DCEO_MS), GE Support Service (Protect)
Print: HSRC Library: shelf number 7508
HANDLE: 20.500.11910/3176
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11910/3176
If you would like to obtain a copy of this Research Output, please contact Hanlie Baudin at researchoutputs@hsrc.ac.za.
Abstract
Despite a sizeable body of literature on the extent and nature of gender differences in electoral participation in developed countries there is limited evidence for developing countries such as South Africa. This study employs data from two nationally representative surveys, namely the 2010 Voter Participation Survey and the 2011 Election Satisfaction Survey, to investigate the relative importance of factors associated with voting decisions among men and women. The article specifically considers cultural modernisation and rational choice accounts of voter turnout. On average, we find more similarity than difference between women and men. Multivariate analysis shows that political efficacy, political interest and a history of voting were common significant determinants of intention to vote in municipal elections, though a sense of a duty to vote, satisfaction with service delivery and political knowledge were important for women exclusively. Political orientation emerges as more important for electoral abstinence than administrative and other individual barriers, again with little discernible gender variation. The results highlight the importance of civic education initiatives and improved responsiveness of elected officials in meeting the needs of women and men. Continued investment is also required to consolidate recent gains in electoral administration and ensure that the benefits of voting continue to outweigh the costs. Sustained turnout levels in future municipal elections are likely to be determined by the success of such interventions.-
Related Research Outputs:
- Voters' evaluation of the 2000 local government elections in South Africa
- Who will woo her on 14 April?: targeting the female electorate
- Popular attitudes towards the South African electoral system: report to the electoral task team.
- An unlikely success: South Africa and Lesotho's election of 2002
- Gender analysis of Department of Health policy documents
- Public participation in South Africa as we enter the 21st century
- Education, ethnicity, gender, and social transformation in Israel and South Africa
- Politics, voting and elections
- The social dynamics in public participation in legislative processes in South Africa
- Rethinking gender, empowerment and development
- Lesotho: electoral landslide Heralds return to shaky democracy
- Democracy South Africa: evaluating the 1999 election
- Constructions of whiteness, gender, class and sexuality in South African English-medius men's and women's magazines
- Decoding South Africa's 1999 electoral geography
- Politics and voting
- Voting in action: focus group and workshop findings
- Gender equality and Curriculum 2005
- Fertility: current South African issues of poverty, HIV/AIDS & youth: seminar proceedings
- Popular attitudes toward the South African electoral system
- Women and disability: Exploring the interface of multiple disadvantage