Vote your region or your income? Decomposing variance in redistributive voting

We examine whether regional economic productivity predicts support for redistributive parties and voting cohesion across income levels. Using a European sample, we find rich and poor in productive regions vote significantly more for redistributive parties than their counterparts in less productive regions. Yet voters may be cross-pressured, some favouring policies that enhance regional productivity and others their pocketbook interests. Decomposing vote variance, we show high variability in rich voters in productive regions and poor voters in less productive regions. Rich voters in less productive regions vote cohesively. This research highlights the importance of place-based factors in vote choice and variance.