TACTICAL VOTING Meaning and
Definition
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Tactical voting refers to the strategic act of casting a vote not solely based on personal preference or ideological alignment, but to achieve a specific outcome or goal in an election. It usually arises in electoral systems where a voter's choice may indirectly affect the likelihood of a candidate or party winning.
The concept of tactical voting hinges on the recognition that one's preferred candidate or party may have a lower chance of winning, while another candidate or party that is more agreeable than the leading contenders stands a better chance of winning. In such cases, a voter may choose to strategically vote for the candidate or party with a higher probability of success, rather than wasting their vote on a perceived underdog.
Tactical voting can manifest in various ways depending on the electoral system. Some tactics include "vote splitting" - casting a vote for a minor or smaller party to divert support from a stronger candidate, "compromise voting" - supporting a candidate who lies between two preferred choices to prevent an undesirable outcome, or "least disliked voting" - selecting the candidate considered the least objectionable, even if they are not a first choice.
The motivations for tactical voting can be diverse, including preventing a particular candidate or party from winning, preventing a specific policy outcome, enhancing the influence of a specific group or ideology, or maximizing the chances of a desirable electoral outcome. While tactical voting can be seen as a strategic tool to influence an election's result, critics argue that it undermines the democratic principle of voting for one's true preference.
Common Misspellings for TACTICAL VOTING
- ractical voting
- factical voting
- gactical voting
- yactical voting
- 6actical voting
- 5actical voting
- tzctical voting
- tsctical voting
- twctical voting
- tqctical voting
- taxtical voting
- tavtical voting
- taftical voting
- tadtical voting
- tacrical voting
- tacfical voting
- tacgical voting
- tacyical voting
- tac6ical voting
- tac5ical voting
Etymology of TACTICAL VOTING
The term "tactical voting" emerged in the late 20th century and has its roots in the words "tactic" and "vote".
The term "tactic" originated from the Greek word "taktikos", meaning "of or pertaining to arranging or disposing", and later entered the English language via the French word "tactique", which referred to military maneuvers and plans.
The word "vote" comes from the Latin word "votum", meaning "to vow or promise". In a political context, it refers to the act of expressing one's choice or preference, especially in an election or decision-making process.
The combination of these two words resulted in "tactical voting", implying a strategic approach to casting one's vote. It typically refers to the practice of voting not for one's preferred candidate or party, but for another viable option to prevent a particular outcome or influence the final result.
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