  We study the validity and limitations of a macrospin model to describe the
voltage-controlled manipulation of ferromagnetic magnetization in nickel thin
film/piezoelectric actuator hybrid structures. To this end, we correlate
simultaneously measured spatially resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect imaging
and integral magnetotransport measurements at room temperature. Our results
show that a macrospin approach is adequate to model the magnetoresistance as a
function of the voltage applied to the hybrid, except for a narrow region
around the coercive field - where the magnetization reorientation evolves via
domain effects. Thus, on length scales much larger than the typical magnetic
domain size, the voltage control of magnetization is well reproduced by a
simple Stoner-Wohlfarth type macrospin model.
