The Impact of Candidates' Negative Traits on Vote Choice in New Democracies: A Test Based on Presidential Elections in South Korea. (March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kim, HeeMin; Roh, Jungho
• Is Part Of: Journal of Asian and African studies. Volume 54:Number 2(2019)
• Page Start: 211
• Page End: 228
• Publication Date: 2019-03
• Subjects: South Korea -- elections -- vote choice -- scandals -- candidates' negative traits; Social change -- Africa -- Periodicals; Social change -- Asia -- Periodicals; Economic development -- Africa -- Periodicals; Economic development -- Asia -- Periodicals; Africa -- Social conditions -- Periodicals; Asia -- Social conditions -- Periodicals; Africa -- Periodicals; Asia -- Periodicals; 950
• DOI: 10.1177/0021909618804273
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-9096

Abstract

The impact of candidates' negative traits (CNTs) on voting behavior has received significant attention in election studies in recent decades. However, scholarly efforts have focused primarily on elections in advanced Western democracies, largely overlooking the relationship between candidates' personal traits and the electorate's voting behaviors in the context of new democracies. In this study, we fill this gap by investigating the impact of CNTs on the electorate's vote choices in South Korean presidential elections. Our study of CNTs in South Korea shows that CNTs have statistically significant effects on the electorate's vote choices. Our findings are particularly relevant because many new democracies are implementing fair and free elections, and the elites under previous authoritarian regimes are running in these elections.