Presidential systems around the world vary widely in their veto override requirements. This paper argues that higher thresholds for overriding executive vetoes increase executive influence over policymaking, particularly budgets.
Data & Methods: Using governors' budget requests and enacted appropriations from 1987-2011 across U.S. states.
We conducted a comparative analysis examining how different override provisions shape legislative-executive dynamics.
Key Findings:
• States with stricter veto override requirements show greater legislative accommodation of gubernatorial budgets
• Governors' budget goals are more likely achieved when their preferences differ significantly from the legislature,
especially in states requiring larger majorities for overrides 📊
• Extreme governor positions receive better budget outcomes where override barriers are highest
Why It Matters: These findings demonstrate how institutional design influences political bargaining and policy implementation across different governance systems.
| Veto Override Requirements and Executive Success was authored by Robert McGrath, Jon Rogowski and Josh Ryan. It was published by Cambridge in PSR&M in 2018. |
