SOCIAL INCENTIVES AND VOTER TURNOUT: EVIDENCE FROM THE SWISS MAIL BALLOT SYSTEM

摘要: This paper uses a natural experiment to document the impact of social pressure on voting behavior. The main hypothesis is that creates incentives vote for purpose being seen at act. incentive particularly high in small and close-knit communities. Empirically, I analyze effect postal voter participation Switzerland. Optional decreased costs, but simultaneously removed vote. In spite large reduction aggregate turnout was small. However, more negatively affected smaller lends support view played role certain people's decisions. (JEL: H0, Z13)