SIMONKOLAWOLELIVE! simon.kolawole@thisdaylive.com, sms: 0805 500 1961
As the 2027 electioneering season descends upon us, this article is a gentle reminder on how we usually make our choices at the ballot box. We may or may not know it, or may even be in denial, but there are certain factors that influence how we think at election times and how we pick the candidates to support. Every four years, I try to remind us of the conscious and unconscious motivations that shape our electoral behaviours. I started this seasonal series ahead of the 2015 elections. Now that we are overly in the mood for 2027, I have taken it upon myself to remind us once again why we behave the way we do. I often add more items or fine-tune them based on my latest empirical observations.
If you ask voters why they are supporting a particular presidential (or governorship) candidate, they are likely to say it is based purely on merit, that their favourite candidate is the most competent. They will say their choices are based on “patriotic principles” and that they are making an unbiased, or unemotional, decision. They may even argue that they have studied all the candidates on the ballot and their preferred choice is the one best suited to manage the economy and the country in general. Most of those who say these things are lying. There is something else driving them. Either they do not understand the unconscious motivations or they have somehow successfully deceived themselves.
