Split-ticket voting

Split-ticket voting can be used as a form of tactical voting in countries (such as the United States) dominated by two parties where a voter is not a wholehearted supporter of either party. It can also be used in countries (such as Germany) which use a variety of voting systems. For example, a voter supporting a smaller party could vote for that party in an election held on the proportional representation system but vote for a larger party when an election is being held on a first past the post basis.

An example of split-ticket voting in the United States would be the 2004 elections in Montana, where Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Brian Schweitzer was elected governor 50.4% -46.0%, despite the fact that incumbent Republican president George W. Bush defeated Democrat John Kerry in the state 59%-39%. This suggests that a large number of people split their vote: voting for the Republican presidential candidate by a large margin but also voting in a Democratic governor.

See also:
Straight-ticket voting