Electoral Laws and the Effective Number of Candidates in Presidential Elections
Abstract
This study employs data from 33 countries over a 50-year period to analyze the institutional determinants of the effective number of presidential candidates. I find the presidential electoral formula-plurality versus majority runoff-to have a strong and significant impact on the effective number of candidates, thereby providing the most substantial support thus far for Duverger's propositions at the presidential level. Unlike previous cross-national studies, I also test for the effect of the presence or absence of an incumbent presidential candidate. The presence of an incumbent has a significant reductive effect on the effective number of candidates.
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Latin America is the region where presidentialism has most predominated, so political competition is structured around competition for the presidency.
“América Latina es la región del mundo en la que más ha predominado el presidencialismo, por lo cual, en los países de esta región, la competencia política está estructurada en torno a la competencia por la presidencia”
From EL COSTO DE COORDINAR: NÚMERO DE CANDIDATOS PRESIDENCIALES EN AMÉRICA LATINA 1993-2010 (2017) · cites this paper as Jones 1999
Si un Presidente en ejercicio busca la reelección, es menos probable el ingreso de candidatos desafiantes y, en consecuencia, es esperable una menor entrada de candidatos.
“Por otra parte, si un Presidente en ejercicio busca la reelección, es menos probable el ingreso de candidatos desafiantes (Jones 1999) y, en consecuencia, es esperable una menor entrada de candidatos.”
From EL COSTO DE COORDINAR: NÚMERO DE CANDIDATOS PRESIDENCIALES EN AMÉRICA LATINA 1993-2010 (2017) · cites this paper as Jones 1999
También es posible que sea la fragmentación legislativa la que incida sobre la competencia presidencial, como ha argumentado Jones (1999).
“Sin embargo, también es posible que sea la fragmentación legislativa la que incida sobre la competencia presidencial, como razonablemente ha argumentado Jones (1999).”
From EL COSTO DE COORDINAR: NÚMERO DE CANDIDATOS PRESIDENCIALES EN AMÉRICA LATINA 1993-2010 (2017) · cites this paper as Jones (1999)
Cites
What To Do (and Not to Do) with Time-Series Cross-Section Data
Beck, N., & Katz, J. N. (1995) · American Political Science Review · doi:10.2307/2082979 · Cited by 6,840 · see citing works
Making Votes Count: Strategic Coordination in the World's Electoral Systems
Cox, G. W. (1997) · doi:10.1017/cbo9781139174954 · Cited by 2,281 · see citing works
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The Rise of Outsiders in Latin America, 1980–2010: An Institutionalist Perspective
Carreras, M. (2012) · Comparative Political Studies · doi:10.1177/0010414012445753 · Cited by 123 · see citing works
EL COSTO DE COORDINAR: NÚMERO DE CANDIDATOS PRESIDENCIALES EN AMÉRICA LATINA 1993-2010
LUJÁN, D. (2017) · Revista de ciencia política (Santiago) · doi:10.4067/s0718-090x2017000100002 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
- Authors
- Jones, M. P.
- Affiliations
- Michigan State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Jones, Mark P.
- ORCID
- Jones, Mark P.
- Venue
- The Journal of Politics
- Publisher
- University of Chicago Press
- Published
- 1999-02
- Volume
- 61
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 171-184
- ISSN
- 0022-3816 (ISSN-L)
- 1468-2508
- OpenAlex
- W2162767271
- Cited by
- 107
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2025: 5 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 8 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 9
- FWCI
- 4.08
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Journal of Politics (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Electoral Systems and Political Participation
- Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Game Theory and Voting Systems
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Political Dynamics in Latin America
- Keywords
- presidential elections, electoral systems, plurality rule, second-round election, Duverger's law, incumbency, candidate competition
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