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Single round vs. runoff elections under plurality rule: A theoretical analysis

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  • Bordignon, Massimo
  • Nannicini, Tommaso
  • Tabellini, Guido

Abstract

We compare single round vs. runoff elections under plurality rule, allowing for partly endogenous party formation. With large and sufficiently polarized groups of moderate voters, under runoff elections, the number of political candidates is larger, but the influence of extremist voters on equilibrium policy and hence policy volatility is smaller, because the bargaining power of the political extremes is reduced compared to single round elections. These results are robust to several extentions.

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  • Bordignon, Massimo & Nannicini, Tommaso & Tabellini, Guido, 2017. "Single round vs. runoff elections under plurality rule: A theoretical analysis," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 123-133.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:poleco:v:49:y:2017:i:c:p:123-133
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpoleco.2017.02.001
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    Cited by:

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    2. Massimo Bordignon & Tommaso Colussi, 2020. "Dancing with the Populist. New Parties, Electoral Rules and Italian Municipal Elections," CESifo Working Paper Series 8626, CESifo.
    3. Verdier, Thierry & Seror, Avner, 2018. "Multi-candidate Political Competition and the Industrial Organization of Politics," CEPR Discussion Papers 13121, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    4. Bertoli, Paola & Grembi, Veronica, 2021. "The political cycle of road traffic accidents," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    5. Cipullo, Davide, 2018. "Runoff vs. Plurality: Does It Matter for Expenditures? Evidence from Italy," Working Paper Series 2018:13, Uppsala University, Department of Economics.
    6. Paola Profeta & Eleanor Woodhouse, 2018. "Do Electoral Rules Matter for Female Representation?," CESifo Working Paper Series 7101, CESifo.
    7. Casarico, Alessandra & Lattanzio, Salvatore & Profeta, Paola, 2022. "Women and local public finance," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).

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