Impact of Electoral Donations on Business Revenue: A Study on Municipal Elections in the State of Minas Gerais

• Bárbara M. A. Mendes Federal University of Minas Gerais
• Camila S. Braz Federal University of Minas Gerais
• Lucas L. Costa Federal University of Minas Gerais
• Gabriel P. Oliveira Federal University of Minas Gerais https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7210-6408
• Henrique R. Hott Federal University of Minas Gerais
• Mariana O. Silva Federal University of Minas Gerais
• Gisele L. Pappa Federal University of Minas Gerais

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5753/sbbd.2023.233278

Abstract

In Brazil, the prohibition of corporate donations to political campaigns in 2018 aims to strengthen popular participation in the electoral process and reduce the influence of economic power. In this context, this study aims to identify companies whose revenue increased through donations from their partners to the 2020 municipal elections in the state of Minas Gerais. Through experiments using public and private data, we identified suspicious cases of favoritism, where political campaign donations resulted in increased revenue for the donating companies through bidding processes. Overall, our results provide important insights into political campaign donations in Brazil, highlighting the significance of transparency, integrity, and democracy in the electoral process.

Keywords: electoral donations, public bids, elections, time series analysis

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