Date of Graduation

1975

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Abstract

THE PROBLEM. The 197U e le c tio n in Pennsylvania provided a unique opportunity to study th e p o te n tia l impact o f a la b o r endorsement on th e in d iv id u al v o tin g behavior o f ra n k -a n d -file members fo r th e AELCIO endorsed one Democrat and one Republican fo r statew ide o ffic e . ■While th e Democratic endorsement was not unusual, th is was th e f i r s t time in th e h is to ry o f th e lab o r movement th a t a predominantly Democratic union membership had been asked to support a Republican fo r statew ide o ffic e . Thus, th e c e n tra l question o f th is study concerned th e p o te n tia l impact o f a union endorsement on voting behavior. Comments by p o litic a l candidates and e d ito ria ls in newspapers lead one to b e lie v e union endorsements are m eaningless. Additiona lly , th e v o tin g behavior lite r a tu r e in d ic a te s th a t th e most s a lie n t influence on v o tin g behavior i s p arty id e n tific a tio n , thus leading one to conclude th a t union members in th is sample (61.8% o f whom are Democrats) would ignore th e s p li t tic k e t recommendation and vote p a rty .

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