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Articles

Vol. 43 No. 3 (2023)

The Effect of Social Programs on Voting Decisions: Evidence from a List Experiment in Mexico

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4067/s0718-090x2023005000121
Submitted
November 27, 2023
Published
2023-12-28 — Updated on 2024-04-23
Versions

Abstract

This paper analyses the effect of an unconditional cash transfer program, provided by a local government in Mexico, on the voting behavior of its direct beneficiaries. Using a list experiment that employs data from an original survey conducted in Guadalajara, Mexico, we explore if being a beneficiary of the program is a significant issue to cast a vote. The analysis shows that voters are indeed influenced in their voting decisions by being beneficiaries of a social program. The main result of this study indicates that 16 percent of the beneficiaries considered the receipt of the social program in their voting decision.