Original scientific paper
Abstention at Elections for Croatian Parliament in 2003: Who Didn't Vote and Why?
Vesna LAMZA POSAVEC
Abstract
The analysis conducted attempted to verify the assumption
that persons who do not intend to vote at elections differ in
their demographic and social characteristics as well as in
certain indicators of interest for politics and political attitudes
from those who are ready to vote. The data were gathered
within a set of extensive opinion polls conducted on selected
probability samples of the voting population of Croatia
towards the end of 2002 and on the eve of the parliamentary
elections in 2003. In the case of both groups of data the
results of descriptive and discriminative analyses show that
election abstainers cannot justifiably be observed as a
homogenous group sharing similar characteristics and
reasons for not turning out for elections, but as differing,
specifically defined segments. In the analysed election
situation, it is justified to speak of two main groups of
abstainers: the first is characterised by a relatively low
degree of general interest for politics and low level of
expectations with regard to positive consequences of the
elections (based on which it differed greatly from the possible
voters of the currently ruling parties and oppositionally
oriented voters), while the second is best described by
unfavourable attitudes to the current ruling power and
general social situation (according to which this group
noticeably resembled potential voters of the then
oppositional parties, and significantly differed from
supporters of the currently ruling coalition).
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
16124
URI
Publication date:
30.6.2004.
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