Local government elections: Why it’s rational to vote with your heart - The Mail & Guardian

were a two-horse race between the DA and the ANC and appealed to me not to “split the vote” by casting my ballot for one of the other parties.

Citizens in democracies often face a version of the following problem when deciding who to vote for: the Yellow Party best represents my concerns and I trust its members more than any other party. It is my party of conviction. But the probability that the Yellow Party will win a majority of votes is vanishingly small. I don’t like the Red Party, which has a fair chance of winning a majority, but I prefer it to the Green Party, which also has a fair chance of winning a majority.

Neither of these two paths depends on the party winning the most votes, yet they will both promote your convictions in tangible ways. Firstly, during the campaign season, if the parties with a high probability of winning a majority know that you do not intend to vote for them and why, they will have an incentive to shift their policies accordingly to avoid losing your vote to your party of conviction.

There are good reasons, then, to “vote with your heart”. Yet tactical voting still might seem like a good idea. After all, the Red Party may still have some positive qualities, and then there is also the Green Party to consider. Voting Red may seem like the safer option. The problem is that a tactical vote may seem to be just a vote against a particular party but it is also, more fundamentally, a vote against democracy and for a de facto aristocracy.

South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

All the news about the 2021 local government elections in South AfricaThe latest facts, figures, interviews, views and analysis
Source: TimesLIVE - 🏆 28. / 59 Read more »

Local government elections: A review of the ANC, DA and EFF manifestos - The Mail & GuardianLocal government elections: A review of the ANC, DA and EFF manifestos - As the three big parties make their last attempts to woo voters in this year’s local government elections, we look back at the promises in their manifestos
Source: mailandguardian - 🏆 2. / 92 Read more »

New exciting local drama launches on eVODeVOD allows viewers to watch subscription-free dramas, movies, and documentaries, with an option to upgrade for more premium viewing, including an array of Afrikaans dramas like Voelvry, Dokter Ali, Kurt & Shura and Elif.
Source: eNCA - 🏆 49. / 51 Read more »

Local government elections: A review of the ANC, DA and EFF manifestos - The Mail & GuardianAs the three big parties make their last attempts to woo voters in this year’s local government elections, we look back at the promises in their manifestos
Source: mailandguardian - 🏆 2. / 92 Read more »

Everything you need to know about SA’s local government electionsA round-up of election news, views and analysis from politicians, voters and commentators
Source: BDliveSA - 🏆 12. / 63 Read more »

Another election candidate killed in KZN ahead of local government electionsThe National Freedom Party said that it had learnt with shock of the devastating news of the killing of their councillor candidate in Nongoma.
Source: IOL - 🏆 46. / 51 Read more »