An exploration of the link between education and voting in Kenya

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between education and voting in Kenya. I test whether formal education and the length of education have an impact on voting in Kenya. Since the impact of education on voting has not been studied in Kenya, I review literature that explores the relationship between education and voter turnout in America. America is an older democracy whose education system serves as a model to the current education system in Kenya, and I wanted to see how the literature between education and voting in America applies to the Kenyan context. Analyzing data from rounds 2 to 5 of the Afrobarometer, I show that acquiring formal education and spending more years in school do not increase the likelihood that Kenyans will turnout to vote. Surprisingly, Kenyans who did not receive formal education reported to have voted more than those with formal education. These results indicate that education does influence whether Kenyans vote, but in a different way than I had hypothesized. Finally, I conclude the study by evaluating explanations for these stunning results.