VOTER TURNOUT EFFECTS ON LOCAL PUBLIC FINANCE AND LEGISLATION: EVIDENCE FROM SOUTH KOREA

Examining the effect of political participation on local representative activities is essential for determining whether representative democracies are functioning properly. This study examined the effect of voter turnout on local member activities on the 17th to 19th National Assemblies (2004-2016) in South Korea. The local constituency budget growth rate, the number of bill proposals, and the bill pass rate were the proxy variables for local representatives' activities, and we adopted regional rainfall on Election Day as an instrumental variable for voter turnout to mitigate endogeneity concerns. We found that when resident voting participation increases, the budget growth rate increases, representatives' bill proposal volume decreases, and there is no noticeable effect on the bill pass rate. Considering South Korea's circumstances, these results suggest that citizen participation in politics through voting significantly improves the representation and effectiveness of local members' activities.