Elections, Politics, and Political Behavior

Empirical elections and politics research looks at political behavior and the political attitudes of voters, parties and their members, and candidates. Political studies use complex survey designs that connect data from different sources (e.g. voters’ and candidates’ responses to survey) and different structures (e.g. cross-sectional or longitudinal surveys). GESIS offers one such complex study: the German Longitudinal Election Study (GLES). In addition, GESIS hosts the Secretariat of the Comparative Study of Election Systems (CSES), with data collected from some 60 countries. It also grants researchers access to national and international survey programs like the Politbarometer or the European Election Study. Reflecting the principle of research-based data infrastructure GESIS employees –– conduct original research on these national and comparative studies. Staff specialties include: economic influence on vote choice (including wealth and ideological perceptions about economic redistribution); electoral and non-electoral participation; individual determinants of vote choice; and the impact of social media on voters, politicians, and political parties.