Split-ticket voting
Encyclopedia
In American politics, a split-ticket refers to a ballot on which the voter has chosen candidates from different political parties
when multiple offices are being decided by a single election
. Split-ticket voting is in contrast to straight-ticket voting
in which a voter chooses candidates from the same political party for every office on the ballot
.
Often, states will hold elections for many different offices on the same day. This may be true of primary election
s and may also include the placing of candidates for federal, state, and local offices on the same ballot. One of many possible examples of split-ticket voting in the United States is a voter who seeks to elect the Democratic Party's
candidate for the U.S. Senate
, the Republican Party's
candidate for The U.S. House of Representatives
, the Green Party's
candidate for County Supervisor, and the Libertarian Party's
candidate for Coroner
.
Although less common, split-ticket voting can potentially be used as a form of tactical voting
. One possible example of this is a voter who prefers candidate A but does not believe that candidate A can win the election, so the voter votes for candidate B (who may be from a different political party than candidate A) because candidate B is better than other more competitive candidates C, D, etc.
Split-ticket voting may also occur in elections where multiple voting systems are employed. One possible example of this is a voter who selects a candidate from a minority party for an office decided by a proportional representation
election system and selects a candidate from a larger party for an office decided by a first past the post system.
A recent example of split-ticket voting in the United States is the 2004 elections in Montana
, where Democratic
gubernatorial candidate Brian Schweitzer
was elected governor 50.4% to 46.0%, while incumbent Republican
President George W. Bush
simultaneously defeated Democrat John Kerry
59% to 39% in the state. This suggests that a large number of people voted split-tickets, selecting a Republican presidential candidate by a large margin while also selecting a Democratic Party gubernatorial candidate. However, it should be noted that Democratic candidates seeking governorships in red state
s often hold somewhat more conservative views compared those of a typical registered Democrat, whereas Republicans running for governor in blue states often have more liberal views compared to those of an average Republican supporter elsewhere. For example, Massachusetts
, despite being one of the most solidly Democratic states in national elections, elected Republican governors from 1991 until 2007.
In some elections, such as primary election
s, some states refuse to accept split-tickets and force voters to
select all candidates from either the Democratic Party
or the Republican Party
. The practice is highly controversial and is often criticized as being undemocratic
by opponents. As politics
, issues, and voter preferences can vary vastly between national, state, and local levels, prohibitions on split-ticket voting are a significant source of cognitive dissonance
for some voters, particularly independent voters and others with less party loyalty. Other consequences of prohibitions on split-ticket voting include centralization
of political power
, decreased voter efficacy
, misrepresentation of the political climate
, and distortion of results. A recent example of this is the 2010 primary election in South Carolina
in which split-ticket prohibition extended to include resolutions as well as candidates and offices. On the Republican Party
Ballot, voters had the option of approving or disapproving resolutions to pass legislation protecting citizens of South Carolina from federal health insurance mandates and discouraging state spending from exceeding economic growth; these questions did not appear on the Democratic Party
ballot.
See Also straight-ticket voting
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
when multiple offices are being decided by a single election
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
. Split-ticket voting is in contrast to straight-ticket voting
Straight-ticket voting
Straight-ticket voting or straight-party voting is the practice of voting for candidates of the same party for multiple positions. For example, if a member of the Democratic Party in the United States votes for every candidate from President, Senator, Representative, Governor, state legislators...
in which a voter chooses candidates from the same political party for every office on the ballot
Ballot
A ballot is a device used to record choices made by voters. Each voter uses one ballot, and ballots are not shared. In the simplest elections, a ballot may be a simple scrap of paper on which each voter writes in the name of a candidate, but governmental elections use pre-printed to protect the...
.
Often, states will hold elections for many different offices on the same day. This may be true of primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
s and may also include the placing of candidates for federal, state, and local offices on the same ballot. One of many possible examples of split-ticket voting in the United States is a voter who seeks to elect the Democratic Party's
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
candidate for the U.S. Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, the Republican Party's
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
candidate for The U.S. House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, the Green Party's
Green Party (United States)
The Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties...
candidate for County Supervisor, and the Libertarian Party's
Libertarian Party (United States)
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
candidate for Coroner
Coroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
.
Although less common, split-ticket voting can potentially be used as a form of tactical voting
Tactical voting
In voting systems, tactical voting occurs, in elections with more than two viable candidates, when a voter supports a candidate other than his or her sincere preference in order to prevent an undesirable outcome.It has been shown by the Gibbard-Satterthwaite theorem that any voting method which is...
. One possible example of this is a voter who prefers candidate A but does not believe that candidate A can win the election, so the voter votes for candidate B (who may be from a different political party than candidate A) because candidate B is better than other more competitive candidates C, D, etc.
Split-ticket voting may also occur in elections where multiple voting systems are employed. One possible example of this is a voter who selects a candidate from a minority party for an office decided by a proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
election system and selects a candidate from a larger party for an office decided by a first past the post system.
A recent example of split-ticket voting in the United States is the 2004 elections in Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, where Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
gubernatorial candidate Brian Schweitzer
Brian Schweitzer
Brian David Schweitzer is an American politician from the U.S. state of Montana. Schweitzer is its 23rd and current governor, serving since January 2005. Schweitzer currently has one of the highest approval ratings among governors in the nation, with polls regularly showing a rating of above 60...
was elected governor 50.4% to 46.0%, while incumbent Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
simultaneously defeated Democrat John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
59% to 39% in the state. This suggests that a large number of people voted split-tickets, selecting a Republican presidential candidate by a large margin while also selecting a Democratic Party gubernatorial candidate. However, it should be noted that Democratic candidates seeking governorships in red state
Red state
Red State may refer to:* Red state, a state in the United states with a tendency toward electing Republicans* Red State , a documentary film by Michael Shea* Red State , a film by Kevin Smith...
s often hold somewhat more conservative views compared those of a typical registered Democrat, whereas Republicans running for governor in blue states often have more liberal views compared to those of an average Republican supporter elsewhere. For example, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, despite being one of the most solidly Democratic states in national elections, elected Republican governors from 1991 until 2007.
In some elections, such as primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
s, some states refuse to accept split-tickets and force voters to
select all candidates from either the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
or the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. The practice is highly controversial and is often criticized as being undemocratic
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
by opponents. As politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
, issues, and voter preferences can vary vastly between national, state, and local levels, prohibitions on split-ticket voting are a significant source of cognitive dissonance
Cognitive dissonance
Cognitive dissonance is a discomfort caused by holding conflicting ideas simultaneously. The theory of cognitive dissonance proposes that people have a motivational drive to reduce dissonance. They do this by changing their attitudes, beliefs, and actions. Dissonance is also reduced by justifying,...
for some voters, particularly independent voters and others with less party loyalty. Other consequences of prohibitions on split-ticket voting include centralization
Centralization
Centralisation, or centralization , is the process by which the activities of an organisation, particularly those regarding planning and decision-making, become concentrated within a particular location and/or group....
of political power
Political power
Political power is a type of power held by a group in a society which allows administration of some or all of public resources, including labour, and wealth. There are many ways to obtain possession of such power. At the nation-state level political legitimacy for political power is held by the...
, decreased voter efficacy
Efficacy
Efficacy is the capacity to produce an effect. It has different specific meanings in different fields. In medicine, it is the ability of an intervention or drug to reproduce a desired effect in expert hands and under ideal circumstances.- Healthcare :...
, misrepresentation of the political climate
Political climate
The political climate is the aggregate, current mood and opinions of a populace about political issues that also currently affect that population. It is generally used to describe a state of change in mood and opinions rather than a state of equilibrium...
, and distortion of results. A recent example of this is the 2010 primary election in South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
in which split-ticket prohibition extended to include resolutions as well as candidates and offices. On the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Ballot, voters had the option of approving or disapproving resolutions to pass legislation protecting citizens of South Carolina from federal health insurance mandates and discouraging state spending from exceeding economic growth; these questions did not appear on the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
ballot.
See Also straight-ticket voting
Straight-ticket voting
Straight-ticket voting or straight-party voting is the practice of voting for candidates of the same party for multiple positions. For example, if a member of the Democratic Party in the United States votes for every candidate from President, Senator, Representative, Governor, state legislators...