Author Description

Why Do Some Countries Hold Elections That Meet Global Democratic Standards, While Other Countries Do Not? Electoral Commissions And Democratization In Africa Makes A Novel Contribution To This Question. In A Departure From The Typical Story About The Boring Administrative Tasks That Electoral Commissions Carry Out And Their Impact On International Observers' Assessments Of Election Quality, The Book's Core Argument Is That Electoral Commissions Provide Valuable Information That Helps Politicians And Citizens Resolve Uncertainties About Electoral Fraud And Administrative Irregularities. Whereas Previous Research Focuses On The Institutional Design Of Electoral Commissions, This Book Privileges Their Actual Performance And Focuses On Two Attributes: Autonomy And Capacity. By Serving An Informational Role, The Autonomy And Capacity Of Electoral Commissions Influences How Citizens And Elites Think About And Behave During Elections. This Includes Whether Political Elites And Citizens Participate In Elections, Engage In Electoral Fraud And Violence, Accept Electoral Outcomes, And Express Confidence In Elections. These Attitudes And Behaviors, In Turn, Influence Whether Elections Meet Democratic Standards (election Quality) And Whether Political Elites And Citizens Regard Election Processes As Acceptable (election Legitimacy)-- Provided By Publisher.