Marketing Papers
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of this Version
May 2007
Abstract
Lichtman (2005) reports that the Keys model has been able to pick the winner of every presidential election since 1860, retrospectively through 1980 and prospectively from 1984-2004. Given this record, it seems sensible to examine this index method. We tested how well the Keys model predicted the winner of the popular vote, and also how closely it forecasted the actual percentage of the two-party vote going to the incumbent ticket. The index method performs well compared with regression models. It also offers the opportunity to incorporate many policy variables. Index methods can be applied to various choice problems faced by organizations.
Recommended Citation
Armstrong, J. S., & Cúzan, A. G. (2007). Index Methods for Forecasting: An Application to American Presidential Elections. Retrieved from https://repository.upenn.edu/marketing_papers/49
Date Posted: 13 June 2007
This document has been peer reviewed.
Comments
Postprint version. Published in Foresight: The International Journal of Applied Forecasting Issue 3, February 2006, pages 10-13.