The working paper, by author and researcher Patrick Cunha Silva, titled (Re)Baptizing São Paulo: vote distribution and street naming in the city of São Paulo (2001-2008) is now part of the CEM series. This series is an online publication with the objective of disclosing research results directly or indirectly developed by the Center in order to promote the dissemination of information for specialized researchers and professionals and to institute a space for the exchange of ideas and suggestions. 

Abstract: Part of the specialized literature concerning legislative behavior, as well as the common sense, often label the legislative production by Brazilian congresspersons as “irrelevant”. The objective of this work is to argue that the failure to recognize such legislative production may lead to the loss of information on parliamentary behavior, especially in regards to the treatment given to the electoral bases. All draft bills proposed and approved which (re)name streets in the city of Sao Paulo during two administrations were georeferenced. An examination of these laws revealed a stable geographical pattern that matches the areas in which city councilors gained more votes. It is therefore possible to assert that instead of a random choice, the distribution of the (re)naming of territories tends to follow a pattern: the legislators are likely to concentrate their nominations in areas in which they concentrate more votes, that is, they are part of the city councilors’ strategy for territory demarcation.

With ISSN: 2177-9015,  the Textos para Discussão CEM series (CEM Working paper series) is a publication aimed at diffusing the results of CEM' researches, in order to favor the exchange of information and suggestions among researchers and professional specialists.

All the Working Papers series is available on this website in the Publications / Working Papers.