Transaction costs in electoral coordination: how turnout shapes changes in the number of parties

This article examines the forces shaping changes in the number of parties between consecutive elections. We argue that the transaction costs in electoral coordination depend on the turnout level in the previous election. The greater the number of peripheral voters entering the electorate, the less l...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Lago Peñas, Ignacio, Martínez i Coma, Ferran
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2021
País:España
Institución:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
Repositorio:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
OAI Identifier:oai:recercat.cat:10230/47972
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10230/47972
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.electstud.2021.102349
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Coordination
Electoral system
Political parties
Transaction costs
Turnout
Descripción
Sumario:This article examines the forces shaping changes in the number of parties between consecutive elections. We argue that the transaction costs in electoral coordination depend on the turnout level in the previous election. The greater the number of peripheral voters entering the electorate, the less likely a substantial change in the distribution of partisan support in the subsequent election. The argument is tested using data for 313 parliamentary elections in 63 countries from 1990 to 2011, and two cases studies of countries using compulsory voting (the Netherlands and Australia).