Follow-up on Parliamentary Elections 2003

The survey charts voting behaviour in the 2003 Parliamentary elections which were held just before the study was conducted. The survey was conducted as part of the "Changes in Finnish TV Election Campaigns" project. Respondents were first asked which political party they voted for in the 2000 municipal elections and in the 1999 Parliamentary elections. Respondents were asked to place themselves on the left-right axis in order to examine political orientation. In connection with the 2003 Parliamentary elections, respondents were asked did they vote, which party they voted for and why, and which issues were important in making the voting decision, for example, employment, taxation, social security, and education. Respondents were also asked to state at which point they made their voting decision, which one they chose first: political party or candidate, which factors influenced their choice of candidate, and from which information sources they had received information concerning their decision. Election campaigns preceding the 2003 Parliamentary elections were investigated by asking respondents whether they had followed TV's news, current affairs and entertainment programmes connected with the elections. They were also asked whether they had seen newspaper, television and radio advertising of some political party or candidate or received direct mailing from a candidate. Visiting the Internet sites of political parties or candidates and using a voting advice application / candidate selector on the Internet were surveyed. Respondents also assessed to what extent the presidents of political parties or the selection of the next Prime Minister affected their voting decision. Opinions on the responsibility of political parties to declare their view on Nato membership before elections were examined. Those who had abstained from voting were asked reasons for their abstention. In conclusion, respondents were asked which party would be the least unpleasant alternative for them. Background variables included respondent's year of birth, gender, mother tongue, basic and vocational education, occupational group, industry of employment, trade union membership, county of residence, type of accommodation, housing tenure, and gross income of the household.

该调查旨在描绘2003年议会选举中的投票行为，此次选举恰于研究开展前夕举行。本调查是“芬兰电视选举宣传活动变化研究”（Changes in Finnish TV Election Campaigns）项目的组成部分。受访者首先被问及2000年市政选举和1999年议会选举中他们所支持的政党。为考察政治倾向，受访者需在左右政治光谱（left-right axis）上对自身立场进行定位。关于2003年议会选举，受访者被问及是否参与投票、投票支持的政党及其原因，以及影响投票决策的关键议题——如就业、税收、社会保障与教育等。受访者还需说明其投票决策的形成时间点、优先选择政党还是候选人、影响候选人选择的因素，以及获取决策相关信息的信息来源。针对2003年议会选举前的竞选活动，调查询问了受访者是否关注过与选举相关的电视新闻、时事及娱乐节目。此外，受访者还被问及是否看到过某政党或候选人的报纸、电视及广播广告，或收到过候选人的直邮材料。调查还涵盖了受访者是否访问过政党或候选人的网站，以及是否使用过互联网上的投票建议应用（voting advice application）或候选人选择工具（candidate selector）。受访者还评估了政党主席或下任总理人选对其投票决策的影响程度。调查还考察了受访者对政党在选举前是否有责任表明其对北约（Nato）成员资格立场的看法。未参与投票者需说明其弃权的原因。最后，受访者被问及哪个政党是他们最不反感的备选。背景变量包括受访者的出生年份、性别、母语、基础教育与职业教育背景、职业群体、就业行业、工会成员身份、居住县、住房类型、住房 tenure（housing tenure）及家庭总收入。