Explaining the Effects of Referendum Campaigns in Romania

Referendum campaigns can have an impact on voting behaviour. Earlier research shows how framing, media exposure and the provision of cues during campaigns influence the ways in which citizens vote in referendums. Results indicate the existence of variation in the perception of citizens regarding the importance of campaigns in shaping their decision. This paper seeks to explain this variation and aims to identify under which circumstances citizens consider that the campaign has been influential for their vote decision. It argues and tests the explanatory power of variables such as the sources of information about the referendum, political interest, attitudes towards political institutions, and perceived knowledge. The analysis uses individual level data from an original survey conducted on voters in the 2018 and 2019 referendums in Romania.