Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/245709 
Year of Publication: 
2021
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 14658
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
We exploit a quasi-experimental setting provided by an election day with multiple polls to estimate the effect of voters' turnout on the spread of new COVID-19 infections and to quantify the policy trade-off implied by postponing elections during high infection periods. We show that post-poll new COVID cases increased by 1.1% for each additional percentage point of turnout. The cost-benefits analysis based on our estimates and real political events shows that averting an early general election has saved Italy up to about e362 million in additional hospital care costs and e7.5 billion in values of life saved from COVID.
Subjects: 
control function
endogeneity
event-study
public health
civic capital
voting
COVID-19
JEL: 
C23
D72
H51
I18
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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