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Externally validating contingent valuation: An open-space survey and referendum in Corvallis, Oregon

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We ask whether respondents report the same decisions in non-binding surveys as they do in real elections. We study a Corvallis, OR referendum to raise open space funds and find survey and election compatibility pivots on the characterization of "undecided" responses. The survey and referendum percentage of "yes" votes match closely only if "undecided" responses are treated as "no". We compare survey-based mean willingness to pay (WTP) estimates with election-based estimates. Household WTP averages US$ 48.89 using election results, while survey-based WTP averages US$ 75.43 excluding "undecided responses", US$ 49.67 treating "undecided responses" as "no", and between US$ 49.96 and 80.05.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)261-277
Number of pages17
JournalJournal of Economic Behavior and Organization
Volume51
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 1 2003

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We thank Helen Berg, Robert Berrens, Richard Carson, Charles Vars and participants at the 1996 W-133 Meetings for helpful comments and suggestions. We thank Robert Mason for help in designing the survey and Renee Boyd and others at Bardsley & Neidhart Inc. for their help in implementing the survey. The Research Council at Oregon State University supported this research.

Copyright:
Copyright 2004 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.

Keywords

  • Contingent valuation
  • External validation
  • Referendum
  • Willingness to pay

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