The result is a novel paper examining, in detail, citizens’ perspectives of elections in Somalia. Public debate remains largely elite-driven, with limited systematic evidence on how citizens understand democratic principles, electoral legitimacy, political mediation, and government accountability. The analysis examines which democratic principles citizens prioritize, which actors they trust to mediate political disputes, which institutions they trust to manage or oversee elections, and which issues they want political leaders to communicate about more openly. Nearly nine in ten respondents say it is important that Somalia’s leadership be elected through one-person–one-vote elections. Women are especially likely to prioritize stability, while respondents who believe the presidential term has already ended, and those who are more politically engaged, are more willing to prioritize competing democratic objectives.