The voting behaviour in the local Romanian elections of June 2016

• Author: Biea E.A., Bratucu G.
• Pages: 25-30

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov

Series V: Economic Sciences • Vol. 9 (58) No. 2 - 2016

The voting behaviour in the local Romanian elections

of June 2016

Elena-Adriana BIEA1, Gabriel BRTUCU2

Abstract: The voting behaviour of people in the local Romanian election has important

social implications, yet due to strong mentality influences in electoral research, it has rarely

been studied from the behavioural analytical perspective. In this article a behavioural

analysis of voting is presented from the moment of pre campaigning, campaign, until the

voting day and how it has been affected by other factors, more complex than in other

elections, including the analysis of the influence of the changes of electoral laws and

restrictions of campaign budget. Moreover, the experience gained as a candidate in this

local election, led me to write about the perception and the behaviour of voting people.

It is concluded that such an analysis is both theoretically fruitful and empirically relevant.

Key-words: electoral campaign, behaviour analysis, political strategies

1. Behaviour of Romanian voting people

Studying the behaviour of the electorate is equivalent in electoral marketing to the

"market research" in economic marketing. Unlike classic marketing where it is

perceived more as a necessity, in electoral marketing it has become a reality. Its aim

is to provide knowledge and a forecast of the attitudes and behaviour of the

electorate, a collection and analysis of information on the characteristics, needs,

motivations, decision-making and public behaviour relevant to a political party.

The Romanian political market is changing from one election to another.

Nowadays, the big problem of the Romanian political background is that politicians

are behaving like technocrats and technocrats are behaving like politicians. In this

case the consequences of this confusion are illustrated in the results of the election

and in the future of democracy.

On 5th of June 2016, local elections were held in Romania and the elected

officials were voted – all the mayors of villages, cities and municipalities; the

village, town and city councils (Local Councils) as well as the Sectors’ Local

1 Transilvania University of Braşov, adriana.biea@unitbv.ro

2 Transilvania University of Braşov, gabriel.bratucu@unitbv.ro