Replication Data for: "How Effective Are Monetary Incentives to Vote? Evidence from a Nationwide Policy"

Abstract: We study voters' response to marginal changes to the fine for electoral abstention in Peru, leveraging variation from a nationwide reform. A smaller fine has a robust, negative effect on voter turnout, partly through irregular changes in voter registration. However, representation is largely unaffected, as most of the lost votes are blank or invalid. We also show that the effect of an exemption from compulsory voting is substantially larger than that of a full fine reduction, suggesting that non-monetary incentives are the main drivers behind the effectiveness of compulsory voting.

摘要：本研究借助秘鲁全国性选举改革带来的外生政策变异，探讨选民对选举弃权（electoral abstention）罚款边际调整的响应行为。研究结果显示，降低罚款金额会对选民投票率（voter turnout）产生显著且稳健的负向影响，该效应部分源于选民登记的异常变动。然而，选举代表性整体未受显著影响，原因在于流失的选票多为空白票或无效票。本研究同时证实，强制投票（compulsory voting）豁免的政策效应远大于全额减免罚款的效应，这表明非货币激励（non-monetary incentives）是强制投票制度有效性的核心驱动因素。