The Dynamics and Complexities of Voter Choices in Ghana: A Perspective of Most Populous Swing and Stronghold Constituencies

Abstract

Abstract The study explored the determinants of voter behaviour in the electoral context, which focuses on swing and stronghold constituencies in Ghana, where two major political parties have dominated the political space, and alternated power since the return to constitutional rule in 1993. Primary data were gathered from 400 registered voters in three most populous swing and stronghold constituencies and triangulated with secondary data from elections held between 2000–2020 in Ghana. The results show that long-term factors such as ideology and party identity are critical in determining voter choices in stronghold constituencies while short-term factors such as campaign messages and appeal of the personality contesting the elections are some of the factors considered by the electorate in swing constituencies. The study noted that the two political parties in Ghana, the National Democratic Congress, and the New Patriotic Party, have explored both long and short-term factors to sustain their dominance in stronghold constituencies.