THE IMPACT OF ELECTORAL-REFORM AT THE LOCAL-LEVEL IN AFRICA - THE CASE OF SENEGAL 1996 LOCAL ELECTIONS

Local electoral systems in transitional polities can play a critical r ole in the growth and development of democratic governance. In this st udy, the impact of electoral system change at the subnational level in an African nation, Senegal, is examined. Senegal recently altered the electoral system it employs for the selection of its local and munici pal councils. The mixed plurality-proportional system, favors the larg est parties. It clearly introduced distortions between the distributio n of voter support and seats on councils. These distortions are modifi ed by the proportional part of the vote which provides opportunities f or smaller parties to obtain seats. The presence and impact of strateg ic entry and strategic voting, both in rural and urban areas is assess ed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.