This paper examines the impact of PB on voter turnout in local and, regional, and parliamentary elections in the Czech Republic. Using panel data from over 6,200 municipalities between 2009-2022, we employ ordinary least squares regression with fixed effects and an array of control variables to analyze the relationship between PB initiatives and electoral participation.
Our findings reveal that PB has a significant and positive effect on voter turnout in local and regional elections, but we found no effect in parliamentary elections. Specifically, PB implementation is associated with a 2.7-3.9 percentage point increase in local election turnout and a 1.5-2.6 percentage point increase in regional election turnout when conducted within two years prior to elections. These effects are most pronounced when PB occurs one year before elections, the effect size and significance decrease with a longer time interval from the election.
Our robustness check, which is based on synthetic control method confirms the direction of these effects, albeit with smaller magnitudes and lower significance. The lack of impact on parliamentary elections suggests that PB's influence is primarily localized, while local elections turnout may be fostered by the implementation of PB initiatives to enhance voter participation in local and regional democratic processes.
Eduard Bakoš is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Economics and Administration, Masaryk University, Czech Republic.
His research focuses on municipal management, financing, and efficiency of public services. At the same time, he concentrates on the issues of inter-municipal co-operation, participatory budgeting, and environmental issues. He is a member of the Standing Group on Local Government and Politics, European Consortium for Political Research and the Czech Economy Society. He has published articles in several international journals such as Public Money and Management, NISPAcee Journal of Public Administration and Policy, and Lex Localis.
The seminar will be held in English.
Major information: Paolo Ferri (p.ferri@unibo.it).