Analysis of Invalid Votes in the Olomouc Region
Vol.16,No.2–3(2014)
This article deals with the phenomenon of invalid voting which has appeared in regional elections in the Olomouc region in the Czech Republic. First, contemporary theories of invalid voting are introduced. Second, the given hypotheses, which include both institutional and socio-economic factors that, according to the theories, contribute to higher levels of invalid voting, are tested. Statistical analysis such as linear regression is employed in the research. The dataset is comprised of municipalities (cases) in which regional elections were held. The results show that higher levels of invalid voting are associated with concurrent elections (elections to the regional assembly and elections to the upper house (the Senate) of the Czech Parliament) in those municipalities in which residents are older and less well-educated. If regional elections are held without concurring elections, socio-economic variables have a smaller effect on invalid voting. Therefore, the state authorities should consider a revision of respective electoral law and simplify the electoral process involved in concurrent elections.
Invalid Votes; Regional Elections; Senate Elections; Second Order Elections; Czech Elections; Voting Behaviour
Aleš Kudrnáč
Department of Political Science and European Studies, Philosophical Faculty Palacký University Olomouc
Jakub Lysek
Department of Political Science and European Studies, Philosophical Faculty Palacký University Olomouc
Daniel Rejman
Department of Political Science and European Studies, Philosophical Faculty Palacký University Olomouc
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Copyright © 2014 Aleš Kudrnáč, Jakub Lysek, Daniel Rejman