For this reason we understand why the decline in voting is much more pronounced among those whose participation is most dependent on outside stimulation. Systematic evidence suggests that the policy preferences of voters and nonvoters are usually not very different and that few, if any, election results would change if every eligible person voted. Casting a vote is making a prediction about the future that electing one candidate will produce a better outcome than will electing another. However, choosing which candidate meets the standard of best is sometimes difficult and filled with uncertainty. Acquiring information that would decrease uncertainty can require a great deal of effort.
Voters use cues and easily accessible information Such as .
Party Identification Party identification is the best single predictor of the vote in federal elections. Party identification has proven to be a strong predictor of the vote in any election in which candidates run under party labels. As a practical phenomenon - based on the cumulative effect of one s preferences matching up to a particular party s candidates. If one is convinced the desired policy results are no longer predicted by the party s candidates, then the party preference naturally decays. Election Campaigns Campaigns are intensely pragmatic, opportunistic affairs, highly variable because they must adapt to circumstances that are highly variable.