Remote Internet voting places the control and secrecy of the immediate voting environment on the shoulder of the individual voter but it also turns voting into yet another on-line activity thus endangering the well-known social nature of voting and possibly reducing the crucial sense of civic duty that is important for a healthy democracy. There is however a complete lack of evidence to what de...

We compare voluntary and compulsory voting in a Condorcet-type model in which voters have identical preferences but differential information. With voluntary voting, all equilibria involve sincere voting and positive participation. Thus, in contrast to situations with compulsory voting, there is no conflict between strategic and sincere behavior. When voting is costless, voluntary voting is welf...

Televised debates represent an integral part of election campaigns and with the introduction Spitzenkandidaten process also became European Parliament (EP) elections campaign. Various characteristics EP such as a generally lower (perceived) relevance participation in elections, relatively unknown lead candidates running for Commission President assign TV crucial role to inform citizens assist t...