The Electoral Benefits and Limitations of Incumbency

Abstract

Conventional wisdom holds that the key to re-election is to offer a range of constituency services while in office, and then organize a formidable campaign team. During campaigns, grassroots electoral operations (such as canvassing) attempt to increase the local candidate or party vote share. After the contest, winners are congratulated for a strong local campaign and for understanding the electorate, while losers tend to attribute defeat to factors beyond their control. This article examines the assumption that local electoral activities are crucial to the result.