Voter Turnout and Policy Choices: Evidence from Brazil

• Grant number: 13/19460-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: January 01, 2014
• End date: August 30, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Applied Social Sciences - Economics
• Principal Investigator: Rafael Coutinho Costa Lima
• Grantee: Raphael Guinâncio Bruce
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Economia, Administração e Contabilidade (FEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 14/12041-6 - Voter Turnout and policy choices: evidence from Brazil, BE.EP.MS

Abstract

The economic consequences of different electoral systems has received limited attention from both economists and political scientists. This article helps to fill that void through an analysis of the impacts of the current legislation in Brazil on the candidates' political platforms and on the election outcomes. We develop a theoretical framework which allows us to examine how measures that affect the net expense of voting impact both the voter turnout and the political positions candidates take. As an illustration of the lessons learned from this model, we provide an empirical exercise using data from brazilian mayoral elections in order to check how different proportions of citizens to which voting is not mandatory affect the political platforms chosen by the politicians. The heterogeneity on the net expense of voting created by the current legislation, which allows part of population to choose whether or not to go to the ballots, makes this exercise possible and enables us to shed light on the economic consequences of mandatory voting.

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

BRUCE, Raphael Guinâncio. Compulsory voting and TV news consumption: evidence from Brazil. 2015. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Economia, Administração e Contabilidade (FEA/SBD) São Paulo.