Eat, Drink, and Vote

Vote outcomes in elections are expected to be influenced by factors beyond simple economic and political considerations. For example, personality traits have been found to be associated with a voter’s political affiliation. Here, we explore the role of openness to experience in voting outcomes in U.S. elections. By using a panel dataset on consumer purchases, we examine the relationship between openness to experience, measured as the variety-seeking behavior in food and beverage purchase decisions, and election outcomes at both county and state levels. Results suggest that voting outcomes for liberal-leaning candidates are associated with greater purchase diversity patterns for food and alcoholic beverages. Our findings have implications for both the food retailing and food service industries that aim to better align their product offerings with their customers.