The electorate’s decisions in the ‘super election’ year with hindsight

The Public Opinion Research Centre was investigating the decision-making of the electorate throughout the ‘super election’ year 2002. With the benefit of hindsight, we would like to compare how voters made their decisions prior to the June election to the Chamber of Deputies and the autumn elections to the Senate and municipalities. At which stage of the election campaigns did voters decide whom to vote for? Do they decide in the last minute or do they know well in advance whom to support? In the event of elections to the Senate and municipalities, decisions on who will get my vote are made significantly later than in elections to the Chamber of Deputies. As regards the latter, almost two thirds of voters are decided even before the election campaign commences. In contrast, the decision on whom to vote for in Senate and local elections is taken during the last days when election campaigns of candidates, political parties and groupings are at their peak.