INFLUENCE OF POLITICAL CAMPAIGN ON VOTING BEHAVIOR OF BENIN RESIDENTS

ABSTRACT

This research focuses on “The Influence of Political Campaign on the Voting Behaviour of Benin Residents”. This research anchored on the tenets of Social Judgement Theory and Yale’s Persuasion Theory investigates the influence of Political campaign on the voting behaviour of Benin residents. Political awareness plays a crucial role in determining whether a credible candidate receives a vote or not. Therefore, it is important to provide political communication to inform voters about the electoral process. The research became necessary following the idea that determining the kind of influence or if political campaign influences voting behaviour of Benin residents it would transform the way political campaigns are carried out through the use of the Mass media. Using the survey design, questionnaire was used to gather data from 150 residents of three local government areas in Benin. The research revealed that political campaign influences the voting behaviour of Benin residents to a high extent and positively. This research findings reveal that the media through the use of Political campaigns on the Internet played a significant role in influencing the electorates voting behaviour in a positive way. The media through the use of political campaigns created the undeniably important and needed political education and awareness in the minds of the voters thereby influencing the voting behaviour of Benin residents positively.