Local High School Closures and Voter Turnout: Evidence from East German Municipalities

Mona Förtsch

No 411, ifo Working Paper Series from ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich

Abstract: Do changes in public infrastructure impact voter turnout? After reunification numerous high schools have been closed in East Germany. Difference-in-differences estimations show that high school closures between 1992 and 2010 triggered a decline in voter turnout in the following state election, suggesting a sense of resignation among voters. However, this effect is not mirrored in national elections, indicating that voters do not extend their frustration to a higher level. The decline in voter turnout in state elections is rather short-living. This suggests that while voters may initially react to changes in local public infrastructure, they demonstrate resilience, at least in the medium term.

Keywords: Local schools; Voter turnout; Resilience; Germany; Elections (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D72 H40 R10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cdm, nep-pol and nep-ure
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ces:ifowps:_411

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