Política local e seleção de candidatos a vereador: contribuições a partir do caso de Pelotas (RS) em 2008

Abstract

The present study is inserted in the investigation field of Political Science which has focused on the topic of the choice of candidates by the political parties. The peculiarity of the present paper consists of the observation of political parties dynamics and the infomal criteria in vogue in the choice of candidates for city counselors, a significant political category / position in Brazil, though little explored in the literature. The study was carried out based on the city of Pelotas, in 2008, presently the third largest city in number of voters in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, through interviews with political leaders and candidates from four different political parties (PP, PDT, PMDB and PT), as well as a consultattion in the Electoral Justice database concerning the candidates. The main work argument is that it is not possible to mention a single method concerning the choice of candidates from the political parties for an election, as they hae different resources which work as attarctive tools for the parties or, more specifically, to those who endorse a certain candidature or not – the political parties’ leaders.