This dissertation argues that the convergence of industrialized wage-labor, increased economic precariousness, close and partisan elections, and weak ballot laws dramatically increased the incidence of economic voter intimidation between 1873 and 1896. When this form of coercion primarily affected African American voters, as it did in the 1860s, politicians did...
Forecasting the outcomes of U.S. elections is a relevant and complex task that has been approached in many ways, most commonly incorporating statistics or proprietary methods that include some degree of subjectivity. Our approach differs from this convention in that we use multidisciplinary methods from applied mathematics. Specifically, we use...
The forcible ending of Nigeria’s second attempt at constitutional civilian rule since independence in 1960 is a mixed story. The 1983 general elections were tarnished by violence and fraud. They took place in a context of economic decline and policy disarray. However, the opposition still retained an important share of...
The building of the Second Republic required a military government, which had been deeply engaged in shaping the Federation over almost fifteen years, performing as an impartial umpire in the electoral choice of its successors. This complex process is dissected in this article together with an analysis of the relative...
The building of a trans-ethnic political space, and a nation that commands the loyalty of the country’s citizens, have been persistent aspirations of Nigerian governments. The 1979 elections demonstrated that, however much political party leaders may seek to build a national following, they are “trapped” by ethnic and other sectional...
In the years preceding the 1979 national elections, ideology featured prominently in political debates and consultations regarding the new constitutional order. Proponents of a social democratic system were particularly prominent. However, the actual formation of political parties, governed by the new requirements for national representation, and the resurgence of veteran...