Buying Voters: the Effect of Financial Incentives on Intentions to Vote
18 Pages Posted: 16 Jul 2012 Last revised: 30 Aug 2012
There are 2 versions of this paper
Buying Voters: the Effect of Financial Incentives on Intentions to Vote
Buying Voters: The Effect of Financial Incentives on Intentions to Vote
Date Written: 2012
Abstract
This paper explores whether a voting system that rewards voters with a lottery ticket would boost turnout. Using an experimental design with data from the 2011 Cooperative Congressional Elections Study, it demonstrates that lotteries have the potential to boost turnout significantly for under-represented groups. The study also suggests that lottery systems with numerous winners and moderate payoffs would be more successful than systems with very few winners and large payouts.
Keywords: Turnout, Social Incentives, Voting, Prospect Theory, Representation
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation