We present it based on how:
first by how voters describe themselves
then by what they actually optimize for
and finally where they collapse into economic or social voters.
(and what they really are)
These voters explicitly optimize for material outcomes.
Subtypes
Cost-of-living voters
Jobs & wages voters
Tax burden voters
Small business voters
Labor / union voters
Healthcare affordability voters
Housing affordability voters
What they say:
"I vote with my wallet."
What they optimize:
Money, resources, stability
Classification:
Economic
These voters explicitly optimize for norms, identity, morality, and values.
Subtypes
Religious voters
Civil rights voters
Abortion voters
LGBTQ+ voters
Immigration-as-identity voters
Education / curriculum voters
Gun rights voters
Law-and-order voters
What they say:
"This is about values."
What they optimize:
Norms, identity, moral order
Classification:
Social
"Who can run the machine" voters
Disaster-response voters
Crisis-management voters
Anti-chaos voters
Bureaucratic competence voters
What they say:
"I just want someone competent."
What they actually optimize:
Service delivery
Institutional instability
Predictable outcomes
Reduced disruption to daily life
Why this is economic:
Competence determines:
whether benefits arrive
whether infrastructure works
whether crises become expensive
Classification:
Economic
Rule-of-law voters
Anti-grift voters
Anti-insider voters
"Drain the swamp" voters
Ethics-first voters
What they say:
"I just want honesty."
What they actually optimize:
Fairness
Legitimacy
Moral order
Trust in institutions
Why this is social:
These voters care about:
norms
legitimacy
procedural morality
--not immediate material gain
Classification:
Social
Racial identity voters
Gender identity voters
Religious identity voters
Nationalist voters
Regional identity voters
What they say:
"People like me deserve respect."
What they optimize:
Recognition
Dignity
In-group status
Classification:
Social
Common Single Issues:
Abortion
Guns
climate
Israel / Palestine
Ukraine / war
Student debt
Marijuana
Local industry protection
How they collapse:
If framed as costs, jobs, resources -> Economic
If framed as morality, rights, identity -> Social
Classification:
Mixed
Subtypes:
Anti-war voters
National security voters
Military-family voters
Isolationists
Interventionists
Collapse logic:
War as cost, taxes, economic drag -> Economic
War as moral duty, strength, identity -> Social
Classification:
Mixed
Subtypes
Pro-democracy voters
Election-integrity voters
Constitutionalists
Anti-authoritarian voters
What they say:
"This is about democracy."
What they actually optimize:
Legitimacy, norms, rule-following
Classification:
Social
Subtypes
Rural resentment voters
Urban autonomy voters
"Don't forget us" voters
State-first voters
Collapse logic:
If about resources / investments -> Economic
If about respect / recognition -> Social
Classification:
Mixed
Subtypes
Straight-ticket voters
Family-party voters
Community-party voters
What they say:
"I"ve always voted this way."
Classification:
Social
"Vote against"
Protest voters
Punishment voters
Collapse logic:
If punishing economic mismanagement -> Economic
If punishing norm violations / chaos -> Social
Sporadic voters
Crisis-only voters
Celebrity-influenced voters
Classification:
Social