Legislature size and council member diversity: evidence from brazilian municipalities

Abstract

The Brazilian Constitution of 1988 granted local governments political and fiscal autonomy, empowering them to directly impact the lives of their residents. Municipal councils and their members serve as crucial intermediaries between communities and the government, influencing public services and legislation. This study examines the impact of municipal council size on the diversity of candidates and elected members, focusing on variables such as age, gender, race, and education. A regression discontinuity design was used to assess the effects, analyzing data from the 2017-2020 and 2021-2024 election cycles in municipalities with fewer than 100,000 residents. The results show that an increase in council size leads to the election of approximately one additional non-white candidate. Council size may increase the number of female candidates but does not have a significant impact on the election of women. In terms of age, council size does not affect politicians under 30 or over 60, with a small increase in candidates under 30. In terms of education, there is an increase in the number of elected members with at least a high school education, but no significant change in overall educational representation. This research is in line with the literature on political identity and choice, which emphasizes the influence of personal characteristics on policy preferences. It also contributes to the literature on the impact of legislative size on policy areas.