Preferences for Redistribution of Legislators: Survey Evidence from Three Countries
We analyze original survey data of legislators in Colombia, Italy, and two Pakistani provinces to study determinants of preferences for redistribution. Large majorities of legislators in all three countries have pro-redistributive preferences, as do ordinary citizens.
Effects on Reelection Rates of the Introduction of Merit Civil Service Appointments in US States
We study the introduction of state-level legislation that abolished patronage appointments to the civil services of the 50 US states between 1900 and 2016. Reelection rates significantly and substantially increase following reform.
Strong Support, Weak Policies: Views on Corruption of Citizens and Legislators in Three Countries
To understand the paucity of forceful anti-corruption policies, we study legislator and citizen beliefs in Colombia, Italy, and Pakistan. Our evidence suggests that feeble anti-corruption policy agendas may persist because established political parties lack electoral incentives to prioritize fighting corruption.
The Model Challenges: Gathering, Evaluating, and Aggregating Covid Mortality Models
We devised Model Challenges to explore what political science had to offer in modeling government responses to the pandemic. The ability of political scientists to predict which polities will react effectively appears very limited; the best results are generated when models are combined.
Biometric Identification Machine Failure and Electoral Fraud in a Competitive Democracy
We study election fraud in Ghana's December 2012 national elections. Machine malfunction facilitated election fraud, including overvoting, registry discrepancies, and ballot stuffing, especially where election observers were not present.
Criminal Candidate Selection for the Indian National Legislature
Indian political parties are more likely to select candidates charged with criminal wrongdoing when confronting greater electoral uncertainty and in constituencies with lower levels of literacy.