THE EFFECTS OF FILING FEES AND PETITION REQUIREMENTS ON US HOUSE ELECTIONS

Authors
ANSOLABEHERE S GERBER A
Citation
S. Ansolabehere et A. Gerber, THE EFFECTS OF FILING FEES AND PETITION REQUIREMENTS ON US HOUSE ELECTIONS, Legislative studies quarterly, 21(2), 1996, pp. 249-264
Citations number
12
Categorie Soggetti
Political Science
Journal title
Legislative studies quarterly → ACNP
ISSN journal
03629805
Volume
21
Issue
2
Year of publication
1996
Pages
249 - 264
Database
ISI
SICI code
0362-9805(1996)21:2<249:TEOFFA>2.0.ZU;2-S
Abstract
Recent theoretical work suggests that barriers to entry in political c ampaigns can affect who runs for office and how much effort they devot e to that enterprise. We investigate the effects of legal barriers to competition-in the form of filing fees and petition requirements-on co ngressional election results during the 1980s. Higher ballot access re quirements significantly increase the frequency of uncontested seats a nd decrease the frequency of retirements. Contrary to Supreme Court op inions, petitions pose as great a burden on potential challengers as f iling fees do.