Determinants of Voting Behavior in Pakistan: A Theoretical Perspective

Abstract

To achieve democratic consequences of voting, the researchers have put serious concerns on
what motivates people to vote and whom to vote. This article builds on theoretical grounds of
voting behaviors, which explain sociological, psychological and rational choice determinants of
voting behaviors,articulating both theory and previous literature. It encompasses high quality
distinct but connected researches to support the theories. The scholars throughout the world are
attempting to investigate the voting determinants in different political setups.Given the revival of
democracy, last three decades have been very important in the political history of Pakistan. The
purpose of this paper is to investigate sociological, psychological and rational choice
determinants of voting behaviors in a typical Pakistani voterbased on empirical studies. The
article concludes that a typical Pakistani voter is influenced by,more or less, all above-mentioned
determinants.