Wybory korespondencyjne w Bawarii (29 marca 2020 r.) a COVID-19

Abstract

In March 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, local elections were held in Bavaria: the first round of voting took place on 15.03.2020 (traditional and postal voting) followed by run-off ballot on 29.03.2020 (postal voting alone). The political decision to rely solely on postal voting in the second ballot was made unanimously by all political fractions represented in the Bavarian parliament in the sense of responsibility for public health. The run-off ballot was held in constituencies where voting in the first round did not yield a winner. There were 34 such constituencies out of a total of 96. In this way, a research sample was created embracing the abovementioned 34 constituencies, randomly and evenly dispersed throughout the entire Bundesland, and a control sample comprising the remaining constituencies. The purpose of this paper is to test the hypothesis according to which the postal voting held in Bavaria in March 2020, amidst the pandemic, has led to an increase of the number of COVID-19 cases. The results of this study may be relevant for the discussion that is ongoing in Poland where public health concerns are being expressed. The Bavarian example was invoked by both supporters and opponents of postal voting as the sole form of voting in the upcoming 2020 presidential elections in Poland – as an argument made – respectively in favor of or against – sticking to the originally adopted schedule.