COMPULSORY VOTING IN BELGIUM

In: Electoral studies: an international journal, Band 17, Heft 4, S. 425-428

Abstract

THIS PAPER DISAGREES WITH MARC HOOGHE AND KOEN PELLERIAUX'S ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF COMPULSORY VOTING IN BELGIUM. IT ARGUES THAT HOOGHE AND PELLERIAUX DO NOT SHOW THE VALIDITY OF AREND LIJPHART'S THESIS ON THE IMPACT OF INCOME AND EDUCATION ON VOTER TURNOUT BECAUSE THEY DID NOT CONTROL FOR SPURIOUS RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN EXPLANATORY VARIABLES. IN ADDITION, THEIR OPERATIONALIZATION OF THE DEPENDENT VARIABLE IS QUESTIONABLE. MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT SOCIAL STATUS IS A DETERMINANT OF ELECTORAL TURNOUT, WHICH IS A MUCH STRONGER VALIDATION OF THE LIJPHART THESIS THAN THAT OFFERED BY HOOGHE AND PELLERIAUX.