Habitat type and electoral behavior: contextual effects on differential abstention in Andalusia (2011-2012)

Abstract

Election studies have identified several mechanisms through which changing patterns of electoral behavior among different types of elections in multilevel government systems can be observed. One of those mechanisms is differential abstention, which quantifies deviations in turnout rates. This article analyses it from a contextual perspective. It aims to identify how structural and socioeconomic characteristics of localities may influence the electoral choice of its inhabitants. We propose an ecological and spatial analysis of the 2012 regional election and the 2011 national one in Andalusia. Our results show that both structural and socioeconomic characteristics of localities help to understand the complexity of this electoral behaviour: urbanization increases differential abstention.