Does ordinary citizenry really lack policy competence? New research using Swiss ballot data suggests otherwise. This study introduces a novel voter justification measure to assess direct democracy competence across multiple levels.
Voter understanding: Most citizens grasp the arguments behind policy decisions in referendums.
Key findings:
- Voter competence depends on political context and individual resources
- Motivation strongly correlates with justification levels, outweighing ability effects
Implications: These results offer fresh perspectives for scholars studying democratic representation and citizen deliberation.
