한국지방행정연구원

The Korea Local Administration Review

Year
2010-03
Author
Hwang, Ah-Ran

A Study on the Effects of Partisan and Nonpartisan Local Elections in Korea

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Focusing on the effect of information in partisan ballot on voters' electoral behavior such as a turnout and a vote choice, I analyzed the 2002 and the 2006 municipal council election, which has changed from a nonpartisan to a partisan election. The 2006 partisan election shows the increase in the electoral competition, the turnout rate, and women's representation as well as party dominant results. The facts that the partisan impact is stronger in urbanized areas, the capital zone, and the regional party support areas such as Yeongnam and Honam, supports the hypothesis that the levels of voters' interest in municipal elections and their information about candidates do matter. Finally, I  suggest the role of the partisan cue in low information elections and the policy implications to improve the voters' interests in municipal elections.