Voice of the Diaspora: An Analysis of Migrant Voting Behavior

64 Pages Posted: 4 Nov 2004

See all articles by Jan Fidrmuc

Jan Fidrmuc

Brunel University - Department of Economics and Finance; L.E.M., Université de Lille; CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute); Global Labor Organization (GLO); Institute for Strategy and Analysis, Government Office of the Slovak Republic

Orla Doyle

University College Dublin - Geary Institute

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: September 2004

Abstract

This Paper utilizes a unique dataset on votes cast by Czech and Polish migrants in their recent national elections to investigate the impact of institutional, political and economic characteristics on migrants' voting behavior. The political preferences of migrants are strikingly different from those of their domestic counterparts. In addition, there are also important differences among migrants living in different countries. This Paper examines three alternative hypotheses to explain migrant voting behavior: adaptive learning; economic self-selection and political self-selection. The results of the analysis suggest that migrant voting behavior is affected by the institutional environment of the host countries, in particular the tradition of democracy and the extent of economic freedom. In contrast, there is little evidence that differences in migrants' political attitudes are caused by self-selection based either on economic motives or political attitudes prior to migrating. These results are interpreted as indicating that migrants' political preferences change in the wake of migration as they adapt to the norms and values prevailing in their surroundings.

Keywords: Voting, migration, political resocialization

JEL Classification: J61, P26, P33, Z13

Suggested Citation

Fidrmuc, Jan and Fidrmuc, Jan and Doyle, Orla, Voice of the Diaspora: An Analysis of Migrant Voting Behavior (September 2004). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=614865

Jan Fidrmuc (Contact Author)

Brunel University - Department of Economics and Finance ( email )

Uxbridge UB8 3PH
United Kingdom
+44 1895 266 528 (Phone)
+44 1895 269 770 (Fax)

L.E.M., Université de Lille ( email )

France

CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute) ( email )

Poschinger Str. 5
Munich, DE-81679
Germany

Global Labor Organization (GLO) ( email )

Collogne
Germany

Institute for Strategy and Analysis, Government Office of the Slovak Republic ( email )

Bratislava
Slovakia

Orla Doyle

University College Dublin - Geary Institute ( email )

Belfield
Dublin 4, 4
Ireland

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