Information, get-out-the-vote messages, and peer influence: Causal effects on political behavior in Mozambique*

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Gracio, Matilde; Vicente, Pedro C.
• 署名单位: Universidade Nova de Lisboa; Universidade Nova de Lisboa
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0304-3878
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2021.102665
• 发表日期: 2021
• 关键词: Political behavior; INFORMATION; Information Peer influence; political economy; field experiment; AFRICA

摘要

Political accountability requires informed voters and electoral participation. Both have been lagging in many developing countries like Mozambique. We designed and implemented a field experiment during the 2013 municipal elections in that country. We study the impact on political behavior of location-level distribution of a free newspaper and get-out-the-vote text messages aimed at mobilizing voters. As part of our design, we randomly assigned peers to experimental subjects in order to test for peer influence via text messages. Measurement of political outcomes comes from official electoral results at the level of the polling station, and from a range of behavioral and survey-based measures. We find that the distribution of the newspaper increased turnout and voting for the ruling party. The text messages led to higher political participation. When turning to influencing peers, we observe a clear role of male and older individuals, as well as complementarity with the distribution of newspapers.