TV in times of political uncertainty: Evidence from the 2017 elections in Kenya

Abstract

What is the impact of television during periods of political crisis? This paper examines the nullification of the 2017 presidential election in Kenya, followed by the organization of a repeat ballot, which sparked widespread protests and heightened uncertainty. Leveraging exogenous variations in television signal expansion since 2013, I assess the influence of television reception on voter turnout in both the initial and repeat ballots, as well as on electoral protests. The findings reveal that television did not significantly impact turnout in the first election; however, its effects varied across political camps in the repeat election. Turnout decreased by 3pp in pro-opposition areas but was a 7pp larger in pro-government strongholds. I contend that television played an informative role during a period characterized by high levels of uncertainty. Employing text analysis methods, I document the convergence of news content before the recall election, with a particular emphasis on the ongoing protests. Furthermore, the distinctive tone of coverage by the state-owned TV station may have bolstered the call for participation in the second poll.