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Political corruption and voter turnout: mobilization or disaffection?

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  • Elena Costas-Pérez

    (Universitat de Barcelona & IEB)

Abstract

Corruption may affect voter turnout either by mobilizing citizens to go to the polls or by promoting voter disaffection. Using Spanish local and survey data, we study whether these effects depend on partisan leanings or the timing of scandals. Our results show that repeated episodes of corruption increase the boost abstentionism. Independent voters – those with no political attachments – are the only group that that abstains in response to corruption. The incumbent’s core supporters fail to recognise corruption within their party, while both independent voters and the opposition’s core supporters report higher corruption perceptions in response to a scandal.

Suggested Citation

  • Elena Costas-Pérez, 2014. "Political corruption and voter turnout: mobilization or disaffection?," Working Papers 2014/27, Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB).
    • Handle: RePEc:ieb:wpaper:doc2014-27
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    Cited by:

    1. Lopez Santiago, 2023. "There Is Something in the Water: The Effects of a Bad Government on Voter Turnout," Asociación Argentina de Economía Política: Working Papers 4664, Asociación Argentina de Economía Política.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Electoral turnout; accountability; corruption;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State
    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • D73 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Bureaucracy; Administrative Processes in Public Organizations; Corruption

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