Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/215212 
Year of Publication: 
2019
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 12816
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
We use Italian municipality data on education and voter participation in national elections to estimate the effect of schooling on voter turnout. By adopting a fixed effect instrumental variable identification strategy, we find that education reduces voter turnout, more so in municipalities with higher income, lower social capital, which experienced political misconduct in the past and have low institutional quality. Analysis with individual data confirms these results. We discuss several mechanisms to rationalize our findings ranging from the opportunity cost of time to disaffection and civic protest.
Subjects: 
voter turnout
education
Italy
protest
JEL: 
I20
I26
D72
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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