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The grass is not greener on the other side: the role of attention in voting behavior

Author

Listed:
  • Lucie Coufalová

    (Masaryk University)

  • Štěpán Mikula

    (Masaryk University)

Abstract

A lack of information about electoral candidates leads to a ballot order effect that increases the chances of candidates in the top electoral list positions winning voters’ support. The ballot order effect is confounded by the effect of ranking and the effect of attention, which work in the same direction. We exploit a variation in ballot layout (the quasi-random location of the break between the first and second sides of the ballot) in the 2006, 2010, 2013, and 2017 Czech parliamentary open list proportional representation elections to disentangle these effects and identify the effect of attention. We show that being listed on the reverse side of the ballot paper decreases electoral support—measured by number of preferential votes received—by at least 40%. Focusing on preferential votes allows us to filter out the effect of political party preference.

Suggested Citation

  • Lucie Coufalová & Štěpán Mikula, 2023. "The grass is not greener on the other side: the role of attention in voting behavior," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 194(1), pages 205-223, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:pubcho:v:194:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1007_s11127-022-01030-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s11127-022-01030-z
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    1. Štěpán Jurajda & Daniel Münich, 2015. "Candidate ballot information and election outcomes: the Czech case," Post-Soviet Affairs, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(5), pages 448-469, September.
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    5. Ho, Daniel E. & Imai, Kosuke, 2006. "Randomization Inference With Natural Experiments: An Analysis of Ballot Effects in the 2003 California Recall Election," Journal of the American Statistical Association, American Statistical Association, vol. 101, pages 888-900, September.
    6. Geys, Benny & Heyndels, Bruno, 2003. "Ballot Layout Effects in the 1995 Elections of the Brussels' Government," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 116(1-2), pages 147-164, July.
    7. Klara Svitakova & Michal Soltes, 2020. "Sorting of Candidates: Evidence from 20,000 Electoral Ballots," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp652, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
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    Cited by:

    1. Lucie Coufalová & Štěpán Mikula & Michal Ševčík, 2023. "Homophily in voting behavior: Evidence from preferential voting," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 76(2), pages 281-300, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Voting behavior; Attention; Preferential voting; Czech parliamentary elections;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State

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