Urbanization Shapes Information Impact on Rural Female Voting Participation in Paraguay

This study investigates the influence of information dissemination methods on female electoral engagement in rural Paraguay.

Methods: A field experiment tested two types of vote mobilization campaigns—public rallies and door-to-door canvassing—in 2013.

• Public rallies proved ineffective, lacking significant impact on registration or turnout.
• Door-to-door contact demonstrated a tangible effect: treated households showed about 4.6 percentage points higher likelihood to cast ballots.

Analysis: Experimental variation by locality revealed spillover effects tied to urbanization's role in information diffusion and social interaction patterns. Reinforcement from existing treatments amplified outcomes more than simple diffusion did on unexposed populations.

Conclusion: Our findings highlight the crucial consideration of urbanization gradients when designing effective political campaigns.