The Relevance of Region Dimension on Partisan Strategy: Evidences from the lists of candidates in São Paulo

Abstract

Introduction:

The extant literature points out the candidate-centered character of the open-list proportional systems. In this context, the role of political parties would be insignificant. This paper argues that, even given the institutional constraints, there is room for partisan strategy in open-list PR elections. The main hypothesis is that parties form their lists of candidates as a function of the electoral districts, & by regionalizing those lists they are able to reduce or completely avoid intraparty competition.

Materials & Methods:

The analysis is based on lists of candidates from the district of São Paulo (m = 70), explored through the socioeconomic networks of people & information. Candidates were tracked through political offices & their historical political membership over time (from 1994 to 2014).

Results:

The results show that co-partisans almost never compete within their party/region. Candidacies are distributed in constituencies inside the electoral district according to the electoral potential of the region, that is, how many candidates a region can elect by itself.

Discussion:

In consonance with the electoral geography, the findings suggest parties employ identifiable strategies when forming their lists of candidates. And, as a consequence, they are able to bypass intraparty competition. In contrast with a classic clientelist approach, those evidences are not a response to personal strategies, but a partisan move to achieve electoral success. That suggests a theoretical alternative, empirically verified, to that classic approach whereby open-list PR systems, especially Brazil, are often analyzed.

Keywords:
partisan strategy; intraparty competition; list of candidates; electoral geography; parties