Date of Award
Spring 2019
Thesis Type
Open Access
Degree Name
Honors Bachelor of Arts
Department
Political Science
Sponsor
Donald Davison
Committee Member
Joan Davison
Committee Member
Dexter Boniface
Abstract
This research examines the impact of electoral rules on voters’ behaviors. More specifically, how do majoritarian and proportional electoral arrangements influence citizens’ efficacy, knowledge, and sophistication levels and how, in turn, do they affect voter turnout in Ireland, the Netherlands, and the U.S.? It is hypothesized that typical predictors of political participation (e.g. educational attainment, partisanship, etc.) are more significant in the U.S. because majoritarian electoral arrangements impose greater informational costs and offer fewer participatory incentives. Conducting multivariate regression analysis with data from The Comparative Study of Electoral Systems (CSES), I conclude that electoral systems do indeed impact voters’ behaviors in significant and meaningful ways. Typical predictors of political participation are more important in the U.S., where majoritarian electoral rules impose greater informational costs and fewer participatory incentives on voters.
Recommended Citation
Knight, Skylar, "Making Your Vote Worth More: The Impact of Electoral Rules on Voters' Behaviors in Ireland, the Netherlands, and the U.S." (2019). Honors Program Theses. 75.
https://scholarship.rollins.edu/honors/75
Rights Holder
Skylar Knight