Can More Information On A Bill Change Votes?

We like to think that our legislators know exactly what’s in the proposals they vote on. But how can we know for sure and, if they don’t know, can simply providing them more information change the way they would vote? These are the questions University of Chicago political scientist Adam Zelizer covers in his paper “How Responsive Are Legislators To Policy Information? Evidence From A Field Experiment In A State Legislature”. In this one of a kind randomized trial, Zelizer documents exactly how more information on proposals can change how legislators vote.