Expected Closeness or Mobilisation: Why Do Voters Go to the Polls? Empirical Results for Switzerland, 1981 - 1999

39 Pages Posted: 28 Jan 2005

See all articles by Gebhard Kirchgässner

Gebhard Kirchgässner

Universität St. Gallen; CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

Tobias Schulz

University of St. Gallen

Date Written: January 2005

Abstract

Using data of Swiss referenda from 1981 to 1999, this paper presents new empirical results which allow us to discriminate better between the decision and mobilisation hypotheses of electoral participation. First, theoretical considerations which lead to these hypotheses are presented as well as the theory of expressive voting, and a survey of the available empirical evidence is given. Then, we describe the empirical approach before we come to its results. Those are much in line with the mobilisation but do not support the decision hypothesis. They are, however, also only partly compatible with the theory of expressive voting.

Keywords: expected closeness, expressive voting, campaign expenditure, turnout, direct democracy

JEL Classification: D72

Suggested Citation

Kirchgaessner, Gebhard and Schulz, Tobias, Expected Closeness or Mobilisation: Why Do Voters Go to the Polls? Empirical Results for Switzerland, 1981 - 1999 (January 2005). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=655721 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.655721

Gebhard Kirchgaessner (Contact Author)

Universität St. Gallen ( email )

SIAW, Bodanstrasse 8
CH-9000 St.Gallen
Switzerland
+41 71 224 23 47 (Phone)
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CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

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Munich, DE-81679
Germany

Tobias Schulz

University of St. Gallen ( email )

Varnbuelstr. 14
Saint Gallen, St. Gallen CH-9000
Switzerland