Gorodetskaya E. G . Motivation of electoral behavior of student youth. Uchenye zapiski Krymskogo federal'nogo universiteta imeni V.I. Vernadskogo. Sociologiya. Pedagogika. Psihologiya = Scientific notes of the V.I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University. Sociology. Pedagogy. Psychology. 2020; 6 (72), 4. p. 23-29. (In Russ.)

Abstract

The article analyzes the features of motivation of electoral behavior, electoral participation and the level of electoral activity of youth in election campaigns. On the basis of a theoretical study, signs of mass behavior are examined and concepts such as motivation and electoral behavior are systematized. The problems of motivation of electoral choice, electoral behavior and youth participation in the elections are studied, which allows to predict the electoral activity of young people in anticipation of the elections. A form of electoral behavior is considered to be participation in the election, or refusal of such participation. One of the most important aspects of electoral behavior is the level of its activity. Electoral activity is divided into projective and real. Projective electoral activity is recorded with the help of sociological surveys, and real electoral activity is recorded in the documents of election commissions. It is worth noting that in Crimea (during the years of his stay in Ukraine) the youth turnout did not exceed 37 percent, we are observing the same dynamics now. A comparison of the data obtained in 2018 and in 2019 gives reason to state: the level of motivation for voting in the local elections of 2019 is lower than in the presidential election of 2018. The features of the influence of the regional factor on the electoral behavior of youth are considered. The main objective and subjective factors affecting the specifics of motivation of the electoral behavior of youth are identified. It is proved that the type of settlement influences the level of youth’s electoral activity. The larger the rural population in the regions, the higher the level of electoral activity, while the activity in rural areas adjacent to cities, especially megacities, is lower than in remote ones. The number of political parties affects the electoral choice of youth, while at the same time, the personalization of the electoral choice of young people, mainly in rural areas, is more important than the personality of the leader of the party or movement than in urban areas, where the factor of the political program of the party, movement or candidate. Based on the results of sociological studies, the motives of citizen participation in the elections are analyzed, quantitative and qualitative parameters of various forms of such participation are characterized. Analysis of the motivation of the electoral behavior of student youth shows that the activity and stability of voters affects the prediction of the electoral participation of youth, as well as the course of the election campaign.