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An Alternative Explanation Of The Chance Of Casting A Pivotal Vote

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  • Dan Usher

    (Department of Economics, Queen's University)

Abstract

This paper is about a model of uncertainty in voting that allows for a schedule of people`s preferences for one party over another, that gives rise to a chance of casting a pivotal vote which is small but not, as often supposed, infinitesimal, that is not inconsistent with evidence about the chance of casting a pivotal vote and that preserves a role for self-interest, along with a duty to vote, in the decision whether to vote or abstain.

Suggested Citation

  • Dan Usher, 2011. "An Alternative Explanation Of The Chance Of Casting A Pivotal Vote," Working Paper 1238, Economics Department, Queen's University.
    • Handle: RePEc:qed:wpaper:1238
    as

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    File URL: https://www.econ.queensu.ca/sites/econ.queensu.ca/files/wpaper/qed_wp_1238.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Pivital voting; Duty to vote; compulsory voting;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior

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