Elections in the time of covid-19: the triple crises around Malawi's 2020 presidential elections. (31st May 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dulani, Boniface; Harris, Adam; Lust, Ellen; Ferree, Karen; Kao, Kristen; Ahsan Jansson, Cecilia; Metheney, Erica Ann
• Is Part Of: Journal of elections, public opinions & parties. Volume 31(2021) Supplement 1
• Page Start: 56
• Page End: 68
• Publication Date: 2021-05-31
• Subjects: Covid-19 -- Malawi -- elections -- natural disasters; Elections -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Political parties -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Public opinion -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1945- -- Periodicals; 324.941086005
• DOI: 10.1080/17457289.2021.1924745
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1745-7289

Abstract

ABSTRACT: In June 2020, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, Malawians went to the polls and voted to replace the incumbent government. Much like other natural disasters, the Covid-19 pandemic and accompanying economic and political shocks had the potential to shake voters' confidence in the government, reduce turnout, and/or reduce support for the incumbent if voters associated them with the ills of the pandemic. In this paper, we examine the extent to which the Coronavirus pandemic influenced Malawi's 2020 elections. We consider how fear of infection and economic distress affected citizens' trust and confidence in President Mutharika's government, their willingness to turn out to vote, and their choices at the polls using data collected pre- and post-Covid. We find that fears about the virus and its economic impact did influence trust and confidence in the government to handle Covid but had little to no effect on either abstention or vote choice.