The Impact of Electoral Law Reforms on Voters’ Turnout in sub-Saharan Africa Countries

Abstract:

How and to what extent does electoral law reform influence voter turnout in sub-Saharan African countries? To address this question, this study aims to empirically investigate the impact of electoral law reform on voter turnout using panel data and cross-national evidence from sub-Saharan African countries. The central argument is that electoral law reform that includes easy registration of voters and reducing barriers to political participation measured through the introduction of biometric voter registration and verification system to enhance the integrity and efficiency of elections leads to increased voter turnout in African countries. While the results from the regression analysis of panel data did not support the hypothesis that electoral law reform leads to increased voter turnout, the qualitative case studies provide evidence of factors that occasioned decreased voter turnout post-electoral reform. Keywords: Election; Reform; Voter turnout; Electoral System Design; Sub-Saharan Africa