VOTING TECHNOLOGY, POLITICAL RESPONSIVENESS, AND INFANT HEALTH: EVIDENCE FROM BRAZIL

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Fujiwara, Thomas
• 署名单位: Princeton University; National Bureau of Economic Research
• 刊物名称: ECONOMETRICA
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0012-9682
• DOI: 10.3982/ECTA11520
• 发表日期: 2015
• 页码: 423-464
• 关键词: regression discontinuity designs; field experiment; womens suffrage; DEMOCRACY; size; franchise; determinants; eligibility; policies

摘要

This paper studies the introduction of electronic voting technology in Brazilian elections. Estimates exploiting a regression discontinuity design indicate that electronic voting reduced residual (error-ridden and uncounted) votes and promoted a large de facto enfranchisement of mainly less educated citizens. Estimates exploiting the unique pattern of the technology's phase-in across states over time suggest that, as predicted by political economy models, it shifted government spending toward health care, which is particularly beneficial to the poor. Positive effects on both the utilization of health services (prenatal visits) and newborn health (low-weight births) are also found for less educated mothers, but not for the more educated.