Open AccessVoided Ballots in the 2012 Parliamentary Election in Serbia
Author(s) -
A Uroš Lazić
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
politička misao
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.18
H-Index - 5
eISSN - 1846-8721
pISSN - 0032-3241
DOI - 10.20901/pm.58.4.05
Subject(s) - general election , authoritarianism , demographic economics , regression analysis , primary election , political science , regression , urbanization , econometrics , statistics , demography , politics , economics , mathematics , democracy , sociology , economic growth , law
The “white ballots” campaign in the 2012 parliamentary election in Serbiawas accompanied by a change in the portion of invalid ballots, but also intheir correlation with socio-demographic variables. When the percentage ofinvalid votes in the three previous elections is analyzed using the generalizedleast squares (GLS) multiple regression analysis, the percentage of inhabitantswith incomplete primary education represents the best predictor. The percentageof individuals with primary education is also statistically relevant, just inthe opposite (negative) direction, and less predictive. When GLS is applied toinvalid votes in the 2012 election, incomplete primary education is positively,and primary education is negatively correlated with the criterion. The percentageof illiterates, the share of people over 65 years of age and the degreeof urbanization are significantly, but negatively related to the criterion. Theconsequences of the 2012 election outcome were considered in the light of theregression to competitive authoritarianism.