Introduction: Both globally recognized as individualistic countries, the Republic of Ireland and the U.S. have key similarities and differences in the structure of their government and voting behaviors. While both countries hold elections at the general and local level, and at times for the same role (e.g. both having presidential elections) the functions of these elections are quite different. Purpose: In the U.S., the political parties are divided mainly into two groups, with nearly half of voters in America registered as part of the democratic or republican party. Relatedly, a vote within America can only be made for a singular candidate. Ireland, while still engaging in the democratic process, has an ordinal way of voting where voters rank their candidates from most to least favorable. As both countries recently held their general elections with large differences in outcome, it seems pertinent to re-examine the factors that influence party identification and voting behavior in countries with similar values, but different democratic processes. Method: Our study is a quantitative, cross-sectional mixed design. Participants from each country completed short item questionnaires on measures asking about their overall well-being, defined in this study using validated measures of hopelessness and optimism. Party identification and endorsement, as well as characteristics of their ideal candidate, was assessed using researcher-designed surveys. Collectivistic versus individualistic political beliefs were quantified using the Cultural Cognition Worldview Scale. Results: A quantitative methodology allowed for a cross-comparison between countries that was culturally specific but still comparable, results indicate that though there are similarities in voting behavior, the contextualization for these differences is imperative when investigating further. Conclusion: There is likely an interaction between overall well-being and strength of party/political affiliation, and exploration of this connection is likely an area of growing interest as political polarisation grows across the globe.