Hvem skal bestemme for oss? Velgernes syn på lokalpolitisk representasjon

Abstract

This chapter focuses on voters’ opinions regarding political representation at the local level. The study analyses voters’ attitudes as well as actions. Most voters agree that representation reflective of gender and age, and to a somewhat lesser degree ethnicity, is important in local government. Most important, however, is the representation of various sub-municipal areas. Norwegian local elections are based on party lists, but voters may give candidates an extra personal vote. The candidate’s point of view regarding major issues and political experience are the most important factors when voters cast a personal vote. Furthermore, the voters emphasize the candidate’s attachment to a particular geographical part of the municipality, while the candidate’s ethnicity, gender and age are less relevant. The chapter shows that the characteristics of the candidates that the voters cast personal votes for correspond to the voters’ general attitudes towards gender and geographical representation. Attitudes towards the representation of age and ethnicity do not have an impact in this regard. In the 2019 local elections, many voters elected representatives to the local councils in new, merged municipalities. Voters living in former small municipalities that were to be merged with other municipalities paid more attention to geographical representation than other voters.