This study examines the determinants of voting behavior in the referendum for the 2026 Innsbruck-Tyrol Winter Games. Through the lens of rational choice theory, we investigate the role of proximity, elite endorsements, tourism, environment, and population characteristics using data from all 279 voting communities. The regression results show that supporting the conservative party in the National Council elections, industry emissions, and population instability are positively associated with voter turnout, while supporting the green party and temperature on voting day have a negative...Read more

Dennis Coates and Pamela Wicker

In Munich, a referendum on a bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics was held in November 2013 and failed. This study analyzes the determinants of the percent of favorable votes using secondary data from all 52 communities involved in the referendum. The evidence suggests that potential host communities tended to have larger vote shares in favor of putting in a bid as did communities with higher rates of unemployment. In communities with a high share of votes for the Green and the Leftist party in the federal state elections, the percent of favorable votes for the Olympic bid was significantly...Read more