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  • I’m Miguel Centellas, a political science professor at Mount St. Mary’s University. Because of academic interests, I post frequently on Bolivian politics. I also occasionally discuss interesting books, pop culture, and daily life in Baltimore.
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Bolivia recall election wording

August 10, 2008
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Bolivia’s recall referendum started today, though it’s not yet clear what counting formula will be used in the end (not the best scenario, of course). MABB has a good roundup of this.

The working of the questions is interesting, which others have commented on before. Here they are:

¿Usted está de acuerdo con la continuidad del proceso de cambio liderizado por el presidente Evo Morales Ayma y el vicepresidente Álvaro García Linera?
¿Usted está de acuerdo con la continuidad de las políticas, las acciones y la gestión del prefecto del departamento?

Neither question actually asks whether voters want to keep the incumbent (though everyone has interpreted them this way, as will voters). And neither question really asks the same thing. The question for president/vp asks whether voters approve the “continuation” of the “process of change.” The question for prefects asks whether voters approve the “continuation” of the prefect’s “policies, actions, and administration.” The first question allows voters to reject specific policies or actions of the president/vp, while still supporting the “process” of change (in broad strokes). The second question asks voters to approve/reject prefects based on policies or actions, but ignore the broad strokes.

Clearly, voters won’t interpret it this way. But it’s interesting that the wording is made that way. There’s no reason why the wording of the question couldn’t have been identical (using the prefect question language, which is more clear).

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Comments

Hmmm, I don't think I have anything to say as profound as those first two comments, but...

I would say that the wording of the question on Morales is only slightly better than the one in Pinochet's "national consultation" in 1978. Voters were whether they stood with him in his fight against international communist subversion, or some such wording.

Posted by MSS August 10, 2008 2:50 PM

    I'm surprised that it didn't also ask, "has dejado de golpear a tu esposa?"

    But seriously, very strange wording. It makes the first two post seem somewhat less strange by comparison.

    Posted by Frank IBC August 10, 2008 4:01 PM

      The first two comments (now deleted) were clearly comment spam (which is why I deleted them). Sorry about any confusion.

      Posted by mcentellas August 10, 2008 8:40 PM


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