Publication

This paper examines motivations for voting decisions in Sub-Saharan Africa with a particular focus on retrospective voting, or voting that is motivated by perceptions of an incumbent politician’s past performance. Using an analysis of survey data on voting motivations in the region, the author finds that there is significant evidence that African voters are retrospective. She also finds that 1) micro-level voting behavior is linked to macro-level economic performance: 2) performance assessments of incumbents are as much social as they are economic; and that 3) high incumbent re-election rates suggest the potential for improved African leadership and accountability in the future.