Which voting model would a voter use if they judge candidates by what they promise to do in the future?

Which voting model would a voter use if they judge candidates by what they promise to do in the future?

• A. Rational Choice Voting
• B. Prospective Voting
• C. Retrospective Voting
• D. Issue Voting

Answer: (B)

Prospective voting is the idea that voters judge candidates by their stated plans for the future—the promises about what they would do if elected—and vote for the candidate whose future actions best match what the voter wants. This forward-looking approach contrasts with retrospective voting, which focuses on evaluating how the incumbent has performed in the past, and with issue voting, which centers on support for a particular issue rather than overall future policy plans. It also differs from rational choice in that it emphasizes future promises as the key basis for choice rather than a general calculation of costs and benefits, though rational choice could incorporate promises as part of a broader calculation. If you want a candidate who will implement a specific policy in the coming years, you would be using prospective voting.

Prospective voting is the idea that voters judge candidates by their stated plans for the future—the promises about what they would do if elected—and vote for the candidate whose future actions best match what the voter wants. This forward-looking approach contrasts with retrospective voting, which focuses on evaluating how the incumbent has performed in the past, and with issue voting, which centers on support for a particular issue rather than overall future policy plans. It also differs from rational choice in that it emphasizes future promises as the key basis for choice rather than a general calculation of costs and benefits, though rational choice could incorporate promises as part of a broader calculation. If you want a candidate who will implement a specific policy in the coming years, you would be using prospective voting.