Abstract
Law No. 215/2012 introduced gender quotas for Italian municipal councils between
5,000 and 15,000 residents to boost women’s representation at the local level. Using
a Regression Discontinuity Design, this study examines how the reform influenced
turnout among female voters, with a particular focus on the educational link between
candidates and constituents. Indeed, two potential mechanisms could play a role:
first, voters could be more likely to participate when they share a similar academic
background with a candidate, and second, they may be motivated to support high-
achieving women. We find the nonparametric LATE estimate to be negative and
statistically significant at the 10% level (≈ −1.90 pp, p = 0.072), indicating that
the quota alone did not mobilize women, but rather determined a small decrease in
female turnout. At the same time, educational distance exhibits a robust negative
effect (≈ −0.83 pp per unit gap, p < 0.001), showing that turnout rises as candidates’
education aligns more closely with that of the electorate.
5,000 and 15,000 residents to boost women’s representation at the local level. Using
a Regression Discontinuity Design, this study examines how the reform influenced
turnout among female voters, with a particular focus on the educational link between
candidates and constituents. Indeed, two potential mechanisms could play a role:
first, voters could be more likely to participate when they share a similar academic
background with a candidate, and second, they may be motivated to support high-
achieving women. We find the nonparametric LATE estimate to be negative and
statistically significant at the 10% level (≈ −1.90 pp, p = 0.072), indicating that
the quota alone did not mobilize women, but rather determined a small decrease in
female turnout. At the same time, educational distance exhibits a robust negative
effect (≈ −0.83 pp per unit gap, p < 0.001), showing that turnout rises as candidates’
education aligns more closely with that of the electorate.