Studying more to vote less. Education and voter turnout in Italy

Abstract

We use Italian data to estimate the effect of schooling on voter turnout in national elections. We contrast results based on individual self-reported voting with those based on accurate administrative data on voter turnout, by municipality. In both analyses, we find a negative effect of education, stronger in the latter, where misreporting is ruled out. We also find that education especially reduces turnout in the poorer areas, in areas with lower social capital, with more cases of political misconduct and inefficient institutions. We rationalize our findings as an expression of dissatisfaction and civic protest. • In Italy the effect of education on voter turnout is negative on average. • Heterogeneity patterns suggest that the more educated abstain as a form of protest. • We document that the more educated over-report their participation to polls.