A voter casts a ballot to re-elect an incumbent governor because the state's unemployment rate fell significantly during the governor's first term in office.
Which of the following models of voting behavior is best illustrated by this decision?
- Retrospective votingAnswer
- BProspective voting
- CParty-line voting
- DDelegate representation
Answer
Retrospective voting
The scenario describes a voter who is making a decision based on the past performance of the governor (specifically, the falling unemployment rate during the governor's first term). This aligns perfectly with the definition of retrospective voting, where voters look back at the track record of an incumbent candidate or party to determine if they deserve to remain in office.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Retrospective voting occurs when voters judge candidates based on their past actions and the overall state of the country or region during their term in office.