The Electoral Authority Under Digital Threat: The Case of 2020 Bolivian Election

• In Event: Constraints on Election Administration

Abstract

Why are electoral authorities increasingly questioned amid elections? The study proposes that an increasing spread on social media of baseless claims and misleading information about the electoral authorities might pose threats to the credibility of electoral authorities. Furthermore, misleading information about the electoral authority might be more prevalent as election day approaches. Thus, rising doubts about the integrity of the election and possibly disincentivizing turn-out among voters. The study also suggests that social media dynamics might create higher levels of engagement with misleading information than with factual information. To test these theoretical proposals, the study relies on a textual analysis using supervised learning methods. To test how engagement with misleading information behaves, the study offers a logit model.

Authors

• David Carroll, Carter Center - Emory University

• Juan Salvador Gomez-Cruces, Georgia State University