Voting for a candidate based on their promised actions is referred to as what?

Voting for a candidate based on their promised actions is known as prospective judgment. This approach involves evaluating candidates by considering their proposed policies and what they plan to do if elected. Voters who use prospective judgment focus on the future and make decisions based on how they believe a candidate's promises align with their own values and desired outcomes.

In contrast, historical judgment relates to evaluating candidates based on their past actions and accomplishments rather than on future intentions. Retrospective judgment also emphasizes past performance, particularly in assessing how well current officeholders have fulfilled their duties. Preemptive judgment is not a widely recognized term in political science relating to voting behavior. Therefore, prospective judgment accurately captures the idea of voters assessing candidates based on their potential future actions and policies.