Presidential coattails in Taiwan: An analysis of voter- and candidate-specific data

• We employ hybrid logit and mixed logit models on presidential coattails in Taiwan.
• There are strong coattail effects on Taiwanese citizens' vote choices.
• Coattail effects take the form of conversion by switching a voter's mind.
• Future research on voting needs to consider voter and candidate attributes.

Considerable empirical evidence demonstrates presidential coattail effects in elections held in the US. Employing hybrid logit and mixed logit models that analyze data collected from voters and candidates in Taiwan, this study examines coattail effects in a non-American setting. The findings show that presidential coattails exert powerful influences on Taiwanese citizens' vote choices and take the form of conversion. Contrary to American experiences, the mediating role of incumbency is quite minimal. Presidential coattails thus provide the president with an important source of influence in the legislative body. The linkage between presidential and legislative politics through coattails can help the operation of Taiwan's democratic institutions. Future research on voting behavior needs to consider voter characteristics as well as candidate attributes.