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What is the impact of the electoral system on voting turnout? Due to the restricted number of countries and their heterogeneity, cross-national studies do not allow for the required statistical analysis of this much-discussed question. Because they use different electoral systems and exercise important powers, the Swiss communities (communes) offer a useful set of comparable political entities using either a PR or a majority system. Our study of these communities reveals evidence supporting the thesis that participation is higher under PR systems. As expected, PR also goes in hand with more political parties, but only in the smaller communities. This is not the case in the larger communities, yet there is still a positive, though more modest association between PR and turnout in community elections. However, in those PR communities voting turnout is also higher for cantonal and national elections where there are no …