Smile to Win : How do Candidates' Smiles Affect Election Outcomes?

Abstract

How do candidates’ appearance affect election outcomes? Under bounded rationality, voters use a variety of heuristics in their political decision-making. Previous studies have found mixed evidence on whether candidates" appearances, particularly their smiles, serve as heuristics and influence election outcomes. In this regard, this study investigates the effect of smiles on vote shares using election posters of candidates running in South Korean local elections. The candidate"s smile, as measured by Microsoft Azure, increased the vote share by 1.5 to 2.6%p. The size and statistical significance of the smile effect varied depending on the electoral competitiveness and number of candidates. Overall, this study shows that candidates" smiles help them win votes in specific electoral contexts.

Changes in Average Smile Score Over Time

Citation

Kang, Woo Chang, D.W. Kim and Joonmo Kang. 2022. “Smile to Win: How Do Candidates’ Smiles Affect Election Results?” Korean Political Science Review 56(4): 59‑82. https://doi.org/10.18854/kpsr.2022.56.4.003