Cleo Anne Calimbahin

Cleo Anne Calimbahin is Professor of Political Science at De La Salle University-Manila and Senior Research Fellow at the ANU Philippines Institute. She holds a PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she studied as a Fulbright Fellow. Her research examines electoral processes, democratic governance, and comparative political systems with regional focus on the Philippines.

Her work investigates election administration integrity, voter behavior in emerging democracies, and mechanisms of democratic backsliding. She employs mixed-method approaches to analyze how institutional designs impact democratic resilience in Southeast Asia.

Recent publications explore:

• Structural deficiencies in Philippine democracy
• Voter attitudes toward illiberal policies
• Patronage networks in local elections

Awards include:

• Fulbright Fellowship for doctoral research
• 2024 NAST Outstanding Book Award for co-edited volume on electoral politics