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Persuading voters

Author

Listed:
  • Alonso, Ricardo
  • Câmara, Odilon
Abstract
In a symmetric information voting model, an individual (information controller) can influence voters’ choices by designing the information content of a public signal. We characterize the controller’s optimal signal. With a non-unanimous voting rule, she exploits voters’ heterogeneity by designing a signal with realizations targeting di↵erent winning-coalitions. Consequently, under simple-majority voting rule, a majority of voters might be strictly worse o↵ due to the controller’s influence. We characterize voters’ preferences over electoral rules, and provide conditions for a majority of voters to prefer a supermajority (or unanimity) voting rule, in order to induce the controller to supply a more informative signal.

Suggested Citation

  • Alonso, Ricardo & Câmara, Odilon, 2014. "Persuading voters," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 58674, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:58674
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    File URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/58674/
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    information control; persuasion; voting;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness

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