Internet access and electoral participation in Colombia : Voter apathy at the polls

Abstract

Over the last two decades internet access has reduced the cost of acquiring political information. This paper studies the effect of expanding internet access on electoral outcomes at the municipality level in Colombia. I use a difference-in-differences strategy that compares electoral outcomes in municipalities that received internet right before the presidential election, with those that received it afterwards. I find that internet access reduced political participation at the polls. This behavior is reflected in a decrease in voter turnout, a decrease in the amount of votes for candidates and an increase in blank votes.