Getting to elect our leaders is certainly a privilege. Yet, even in a representative democracy, the choice that citizens have is often only as good as the candidates they have to choose from. That’s why Professor Andrew B. Hall, The Davies Family Professor of Political Economy, wonders: How do we get society’s best and brightest to participate in politics?

As a political economist at Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences, Hall has spent years studying what motivates people to engage in the democratic process. On this episode of If/Then: Business, Leadership, Society, he shares his insights on how we can create a system that attracts a more diverse and qualified pool of candidates to run for public office and encourages greater voter participation at the local, state, and national levels.

Key Takeaways: 

• Engagement starts with incentives: Whether encouraging better candidates to run for public office or driving higher voter turnout, Hall says our democratic system must incentivize citizens to actively take part in the process.
• What's at stake?: People are more likely to participate in democratic processes when they understand how the outcome directly affects them. Hall cites how homeowners are more likely to vote on local zoning issues that impact their property values.
• Adapting new technologies thoughtfully: As new technologies emerge, Hall says it's crucial to consider how they can be harnessed to improve democratic participation and address the challenges facing our political system.

More Resources

• Andrew B. Hall, The Davies Family Professor of Political Economy
• What Kinds of Incentives Encourage Participation in Democracy? Evidence from a Massive Online Governance Experiment 
• Stanford GSB Insights:
• Inside a Government Where People Are Paid to Vote
• If You Lived Here, You Might Be a Voter By Now

If/Then is a podcast from Stanford Graduate School of Business that examines research findings that can help us navigate the complex issues we face in business, leadership, and society.

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