Document type
Working paperPublication date
Publication license
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/115887
Strategic voting and happiness
Journal Title
Authors
Director/Tutor
Additional contribution
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Abstract
In this paper we extend the research on happiness and spatial theory of voting by exploring whether strategic and sincere voting affect subjective well-being. We conduct the analysis with data on a large sample of individuals over 50 elections in 16 OECD countries. The results of the analysis show the existence of a negative effect of strategic voting on subjective well-being. In addition, the likelihood of being satisfied decreases when individuals vote strategically for a political party that wins the electoral race. Furthermore, when we analyse separately left-wing and right-wing voters, we find that the described effect holds for left-wing voters but no for right-wing voters. We discuss this evidence in the light of expressive voting theory (Hilman, 2010) and lack of empathy with future selves (Kahneman and Thaler, 1991). Our results are robust to different measures of strategic voting and subjective well-being.
Related resource
Subject
Subject (English)
Citation
Citation
ACACIA, Francesca and CUBEL, Maria. Strategic voting and happiness. IEB Working Paper 2013/19. [consulted: 11 of October of 2026]. Available at: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/115887