Voter Turnout and Fiscal Policy

Raphaël Godefroy and Emeric Henry

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Abstract: In this paper, we examine whether shocks in voting costs can impact elected representatives' quality, defined as the capacity to fund projects at the lowest cost. Using data on French municipalities and local variations in seasonal infections incidence as a shock on voting cost, we estimate that higher incidence lowers voter turnout, increases subsidies obtained by a municipality, decreases harmful financial decisions, and increases the municipality's investment in infrastructure. We present a model where these predictions would hold, in particular for municipalities with a high base level of turnout.

Keywords: Turnout; Public finance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016-10
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://sciencespo.hal.science/hal-03391997v1
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

Published in European Economic Review, 2016, 89, pp.389 - 406. ⟨10.1016/j.euroecorev.2016.08.006⟩

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Related works:
Journal Article: Voter turnout and fiscal policy (2016)
Working Paper: Voter Turnout and Fiscal Policy (2016)
Working Paper: Voter Turnout and Fiscal Policy (2016)
Working Paper: Voter Turnout and Fiscal Policy (2011)
Working Paper: Voter Turnout and Fiscal Policy (2011)
Working Paper: Voter Turnout and Fiscal Policy (2011)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-03391997

DOI: 10.1016/j.euroecorev.2016.08.006

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