Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Alan de Bromhead Author-Name-First: Alan Author-Name-Last: de Bromhead Author-Workplace-Name: Queen's Management School Author-Email:a.debromhead@qub.ac.uk Author-Homepage:https://pure.qub.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/alan-de-bromhead(165d68d8-f5d7-4cb5-9704-21a1ff26f488).html Author-Name: Alan Fernihough Author-Name-First: Alan Author-Name-Last: Fernihough Author-Workplace-Name: Queen's Management School Author-Email:a.fernihough@qub.ac.uk Author-Homepage:https://pure.qub.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/alan-fernihough(397d1daf-7da5-4423-9ab4-a20e2e3eea2a).html Author-Name: Enda Hargaden Author-Name-First: Enda Author-Name-Last: Hargaden Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics, University of Tennessee Author-Email: enda@utk.edu Author-Homepage: http://www.hargaden.com/enda/index.html Abstract: Electoral reforms in 1918 nearly tripled the number of people eligible to vote in Ireland. Following the reforms - the largest franchise extensions in UK history – the previously obscure Sinn Féin party secured 73 of Ireland's 105 seats, an outcome that presaged a guerrilla war and ultimately independence from the United Kingdom. This paper examines the relationship between the franchise extension and the election results. We find little evidence of a connection between the two. New female voters appear less likely to have supported Sinn Féin. New male voters were slightly more likely to vote for Sinn Féin, but the magnitude of this effect was small and statistically insignificant. In fact, non-voting appears particularly high for both groups of new voters. Our results suggest that the extension of the franchise cannot explain Sinn Féin's victory. We conclude their electoral success was more likely driven by a change of heart on behalf of the Irish electorate, rather than a change in its composition. Title: Representation Of The People: Franchise Extension And The "Sinn Féin Election" In Ireland, 1918 Length: 30 pages Creation-Date: 2018-06 Revision-Date: Publication-Status: Under Review File-URL: http://web.utk.edu/~jhollad3/RePEc/2018-02.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2018 File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: Number: 2018-02 Classification-JEL: D72; N44; N94 Keywords: Voting; Elections; Ireland; Sinn Féin Handle: RePEc:ten:wpaper:2018-02