Counting counts moved! All future contributions can be found on our new website - We will continue to offer accessible academic research and commentary on various topics related to electoral systems and representation. So just stop by from time to time or visit us on twitter @electsystblog
Counting Counts
“It's not the voting that's democracy, it's the counting.” Tom Stoppard
Welcome to our blog!
Counting Counts is an academic blog run by the team of ‘Electoral System Change in Modern Democracies’. Our central objective is to offer accessible academic commentary and research on various topics related to the consequences of electoral system’s and their change as well as literature reviews on recent publications in the field. We are committed to communicate social science research and commentary in a manner that enhances public as well as scientific understanding and debate.
While this is primarily the blog of our project, we will at times invite various co-bloggers to contribute to our blog and are grateful for all the contributions we received so far and will receive in the future.
Latest Contributions
April 2018
Increases voter turnout with district magnitude?
Muraoka, T. and J. Barceló (2017) “The effect of district magnitude on turnout: Quasi-experimental evidence from nonpartisan elections under SNTV”, Party Politics. DOI: 1354068817740337.
By Julian Noseck
March 2018
When Women Make A Difference. Gender Gaps in the European Parliament
Do female members of the European Parliament think and act differently from their male colleagues? The answer to this question is yes – and no. To learn more about this question, read the latest contribution to our blog!
By Lena Ramstetter
March 2018
Do parliaments underrepresent women's policy preferences?
Believe it or not - parliaments tend to represent women’s policy preferences concerning issues such as immigration, redistribution, or lifestyles slightly more accurately than those of men. For more insights read the summary of our recent publication.
By Sarah C. Dingler
February 2018
Still a glass ceiling? Tracing the limits to women’s representation in elected office.
Is gender equal representation in parliaments right around the corner? To find out, read this brief summary of a new publication of two members of our project team, Corinna Kroeber and Jessica
Fortin-Rittberger, together with Vanessa Marent and Christina Eder.
By Corinna Kroeber
January 2018
Increases voter turnout with district magnitude?
Arnesen, S. and Y. Peters (2017) “The Legitimacy of Representation: How Descriptive, Formal, and Responsiveness Representation Affect the Acceptability of Political Decisions”. Comparative Political Studies. DOI: 10.1177/0010414017720702.
By Julian Noseck
December 2017
Why, how and when do turnout rates decrease in new democracies?
Kostelka, F. (2017) “Does Democratic Consolidation Lead to a Decline in Voter Turnout? Global Evidence Since 1939”, American Political Science Review 111 (4), 653-667. DOI: 10.1017/S0003055417000259.
By Julian Noseck
December 2017
The authors show how economic integration weakens the foundations of democracy by affecting the type of policies implemented, the de-emphasis of economic issues in political competition, and (ultimately) the meaning and the value citizen attribute to representative institutions.
By Camille Bedock (Université Libre De
Bruxelles), Cal Le Gall
(Salzburg Center of European Union Studies and Sciences Po Grenoble), and Sophie Panel (Sciences Po Bordeaux)
October 2017
Austrian election: immigration issues, a “Kurz-effect” and House of Cards
Austria’s election is around the corner. Here is some key information about what you need to know about Sunday’s
election and insightful additional readings.
By Sarah C. Dingler and Corinna Kroeber
September 2017
Being a Female Candidate in the German Election 2017 – Some Good News and Some Bad News
The German general election on September 24th is coming up in just a couple of days. We ask: Are men more likely to receive the most desirable spots on party lists in the German general election 2017?
By Sarah C. Dingler
September 2017
The German federal
election: the wisdom of predictive models
The German election 2017 - what can we learn from predicitve models?
By Julian Noseck
September 2017
Electoral rules affect campaigning strategies of large Spanish parties
Lago, I., Bermúdez, S., Guinjoan, M., Rowe, K., and Simón, P. (2017). Party Mobilization and Electoral Systems. In Government and Opposition. DOI: 10.1017/gov.2016.46.
By Sarah C. Dingler
August 2017
Does ticket splitting empower white, old, well-educated, rich men?
Exploring whether all citizens stand equal chances to split their ticket - evidence from Germany
By Corinna Kroeber
July 2017
Disentangling the effects of expected electoral success, list placement & vote share
Dettman, S, Pepinsky, T.B. and J.H. Pierskalla (2017) “Incumbency advantage and candidate characteristics in open-list proportional representation systems: Evidence from Indonesia”. In Electoral Studies 48. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electstud.2017.06.002
By Corinna Kroeber
July 2017
UK General Election 2017 - Really no hope for electoral reform?
Why the Conservatives might have an interst in electoral reform.
By Sarah C. Dingler
June 2017
Strategic voting depends on district competitiveness
Bochsler, D. (2017) “The strategic effect of the plurality vote at the district level”, Electoral Studies 47, 94-112 DOI: 10.1016/j.electstud.2016.11.019
By Julian Noseck
May 2017
Voter registration requirements affect tunrout and foster unequal participation
Braconnier, C, Dormagen, J. and V. Pons (2017): “Voter Registration Costs and Disenfranchisement: Experimental Evidence from France”, American Political Science Review. Online First DOI: 10.1017/S000305541700003X.
By Corinna Kroeber
May 2017
Is Germany the New Grand Coalition State?
The 2017 Land elections and the lessons for the upcoming federal election in September.
By Philipp Harfst
May 2017
A Labratory Experiment Analysing the Relationship Between District Magnitude and Voting Behaviour
Hix, S. Hortala-Vallve, R. and G. Riambau-Armet (2017): "The Effects of District Magnitude on Voting Behavior", The Journal of Politics 79 (1), 356-361. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/688889
By Sarah C. Dingler
April 2017
Conditions that enhance policy responsiveness towards minorities of immigrant origin
By Corinna Kroeber
April 2017
Determinants of Party Polarization: The Impact of Electoral Systems and Income Inequality
The electoral systems' intervening effect on the relationship between party polarization and income inequality.
By Sven Kosanke
March 2017
Conditions Determining the Effective Number of Parties in Elections
van de Wardt, M. (2017) “Explaining the effective number of parties: Beyond the standard model”, Electoral Studies 45. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.electstud.2016.11.005 .
By Julian Noseck
March 2017
'Speaking for the Women in my District' - Cultivating a Gendered Vote?
Electoral rules and their effect on the representation of women’s policy preferences
By Corinna Kroeber and Sarah C. Dingler
February 2017
Does Voter Volatility Affect Electoral Reform?
Núñez, L., Simón, P. and J.-B. Pilet (2017): "Electoral volatility and the dynamics of electoral reform. West European Politics, 40 (2). DOI: 10.1080/01402382.2016.1193800
By Sarah C. Dingler
February 2017
The Effects of Electoral Systems on Preference Representation
Stadelmann, D., Portmann, M. and R. Eichenberger (2016): "Perference Representation and the Influence of Political Parties in Majoritarian vs. Proportional Systems: An Empirical Test", British Journal of Political Science. Online First. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007123416000399.
By Corinna Kroeber
January 2017
The Political Consequences of Changes in District Magnitude
Summary of Philipp Harfst's recently published article analyzing the political consequences of changes in district magnintude.
By Philipp Harfst
December 2016
About High Turnout in the Low countries
Miller, P. and R. Dassonneville (2016): “High turnout in the Low Countries: Partisan effects of the abolition of compulsory voting in the Netherlands”, Electoral Studies 44. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.electstud.2016.07.009
By Julian Noseck
November 2016
The Austrian Presidential Elections Part I:
Why Women Could Make a Difference?
A comment on why women might turn out to be decisive for the election results
By Vanessa Marent
November 2016
Exploring the Effects of Electoral Laws on Electoral Violence
Fjelde, H. and K. Höglund (2016): "Electoral Institutions and Electoral Violence in Sub-Saharan Africa". British Journal of Political Science 46(02): 297-320. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007123414000179.
By Lena Ramstetter
November 2016
Counting Counts- Also in the U.S.
Our favorite contributions on how the electoral system shapes the US election.
By Corinna Kroeber and Sarah C. Dingler
October 2016
Does an electoral system's candidate-centeresness affect the diffusion of political responsibility?
Söderlund, P. (2016): “Candidate-centred electoral systems and change in incumbent vote share: A cross-national and longitudinal analysis”, European Journal of Political Research 55: 321–339
By Sarah C. Dingler
September 2016
Austrian Presidential Elections - Does Updating the Voter Register Make a Difference?
A comment on the Austrian Parliament's decision to update the voter register for the presidential election re-run in December 2016.
By Sarah C. Dingler