The Theoretical Principles of Individual's Electoral Behaviors in the Islamic Republic of Iran

Election, i.e. political participation, is one of the symbols shared by most of the democratic countries, including the Islamic Republic of Iran. To explain citizens’ participation, their voting preferences and the quality of their decisions in selecting and casting vote, three theoretical patterns can be referred to as follows: political sociological approach (functionalist, exchange and political assessment), political economics approach (wise selection and reformed wise selection) and political psychological approach (Chicago School, knowledge-based and Engel Hart).The present article analyzes these three strands of theories and answers the question that which one of these patterns explains the electoral behavior of citizens in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The article stresses that the electoral behavior is a time-, field- and place-based phenomenon; therefore, we cannot reach a universal theory to explain the reason, manner and content of citizens’ vote casting across the world, even the constituencies within a single geographical unit. In other words, the principles affecting citizens’ behavior in the Islamic Republic of Iran should be looked for in people political culture, their previous experiences and conducts, individuals past interactions with the candidates and social discourses and networks to which voters belong.