Does Compulsory Voting Affect How Voters Choose? A Test Using a Combined Conjoint and Regression Discontinuity Analysis

Singh, Shane P. Forthcoming. “Does Compulsory Voting Affect How Voters Choose? A Test Using a Combined Conjoint and Regression Discontinuity Analysis.” Comparative Political Studies.

60 Pages Posted: 15 Mar 2021 Last revised: 10 Nov 2021

Date Written: November 9, 2021

Abstract

Authors writing since the late 1800s have argued that the requirement to vote can transform citizens, especially by inducing political sophistication. This implies the criteria that compelled voters use to choose between candidates will differ from those who are not obligated to turn out. To test this, I amalgamate a conjoint experiment with a regression discontinuity design, exploiting age-based cutoffs in the application of compulsory voting. This allows me to causally identify the impact of compulsory voting on the attributes individuals take into account when choosing between candidates. While I recover compulsory voting's upward impact on turnout, I find no evidence that compelled and voluntary voters differ in how they select candidates.

Keywords: compulsory voting, conjoint analysis, regression discontinuity analysis

Suggested Citation

Singh, Shane, Does Compulsory Voting Affect How Voters Choose? A Test Using a Combined Conjoint and Regression Discontinuity Analysis (November 9, 2021). Singh, Shane P. Forthcoming. “Does Compulsory Voting Affect How Voters Choose? A Test Using a Combined Conjoint and Regression Discontinuity Analysis.” Comparative Political Studies., Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3802655 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3802655

Shane Singh (Contact Author)

University of Georgia ( email )

Department of International Affairs
Athens, GA 30602-6254
United States

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
97
Abstract Views
328
Rank
459,871
PlumX Metrics