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| Australian Electoral Study | |
|---|---|
| Name | Australian Electoral Study |
| Established | 1987 |
| Discipline | Political science |
| Country | Australia |
| Institutions | Australian National University, University of Sydney, University of Melbourne |
| Principal investigators | John Curtice, Ian McAllister, Nicholas Butterly |
| Topics | Voting behaviour, public opinion, party identification, electoral systems |
Australian Electoral Study is a recurring national survey program that measures voting behaviour, public attitudes, party identification, and policy preferences across Australian federal elections. Launched in 1987, the project has produced longitudinal and cross-sectional datasets used by scholars, journalists, political parties, and public institutions to analyse trends in electoral politics, campaigning, and representation. Its work intersects with comparative projects and studies conducted by prominent research centres and universities in Australia and internationally.
The project began following scholarly initiatives at the Australian National University and the University of Melbourne to systematise survey research comparable to international efforts such as the American National Election Studies, the British Election Study, and the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems. Early leadership included figures associated with the Australian Political Studies Association and the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, with surveys timed to federal contests like the 1987 Australian federal election and subsequent polls for the 1990 Australian federal election, 1993 Australian federal election, 1996 Australian federal election, and later cycles. Collaboration expanded to encompass researchers at the University of Sydney, the Griffith University, and the Monash University; notable contributors have included academics who also held positions within the Australian Electoral Commission advisory networks. Over time the study adapted questionnaire design and sampling procedures in response to methodological debates reflected in forums such as the International Political Science Association conferences and meetings of the European Consortium for Political Research.
Surveys employ probability sampling and stratified designs influenced by best practices from the American Association for Public Opinion Research and techniques used in the British Election Study and the European Social Survey. Data collection modalities have included face-to-face interviews, telephone interviewing, and online panels administered by commercial providers used by institutions like the Australian Bureau of Statistics for other large-scale surveys. Question batteries cover party identification, retrospective vote choice, prospective vote intentions for parties such as the Australian Labor Party, the Liberal Party of Australia, the National Party of Australia, and the Australian Greens, as well as evaluations of party leaders including figures associated with the Prime Minister of Australia and leaders from states like New South Wales and Victoria. Weighting routines account for demographic stratifiers modeled on census frames produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and adjust for turnout using validated self-reports cross-checked against electoral enrolment data held by the Australian Electoral Commission.
Analyses have illuminated long-term patterns in partisanship, dealignment, and realignment comparable to findings in studies of the United Kingdom general election, the United States presidential election, and other parliamentary democracies. Research using the data identified trends such as declining identification with major parties like the Australian Labor Party and the Liberal Party of Australia and rising volatility in vote choice seen in elections including the 2010 Australian federal election and the 2013 Australian federal election. The program's work has documented the electoral salience of issues tied to policy debates in arenas like the Climate Change Authority and industrial relations reforms associated with historical measures such as the Workplace Relations Act 1996. Studies have connected campaign effects observed during contests like the 2007 Australian federal election to media dynamics involving outlets such as The Australian, The Sydney Morning Herald, and national broadcasters including the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Datasets from successive waves are deposited with Australian data archives and research repositories affiliated with the Australian Data Archive and university data services at the Australian National University. Metadata, codebooks, and questionnaire instruments have been shared with scholars at organisations like the Australian Research Council and international collaborators at the European University Institute and the Institute for Social Research (ISSP). Access policies balance open science principles promulgated by the National Health and Medical Research Council with confidentiality safeguards aligned to standards used by the United Nations Statistical Commission. Researchers often obtain datasets for secondary analysis through institutional application procedures and data use agreements managed by university research offices.
The study has informed academic literature published in outlets such as the Australian Journal of Political Science, Electoral Studies, and the British Journal of Political Science. Findings have influenced public debate during election cycles and have been cited in parliamentary inquiries involving the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters and policy reviews by bodies like the Productivity Commission. Political practitioners from parties including the Australian Labor Party, the Liberal Party of Australia, and the Australian Greens have used insights from the surveys to shape campaign strategy. Comparative scholars reference the project when mapping democratization and representation patterns alongside projects like the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems and the World Values Survey.
Critiques focus on sampling challenges experienced during transitions from telephone to online modes, echoing concerns raised in literature about non-probability panels used by commercial firms such as YouGov and Qualtrics. Other limitations noted by methodologists concern measurement error in self-reported turnout, potential undercoverage of remote electorates including areas such as the Northern Territory and Western Australia, and the difficulty of capturing deliberative dynamics highlighted by scholars from the Lowy Institute and the Grattan Institute. Debates also address comparability across waves when question wording changes, a topic scrutinised in symposia hosted by the Australasian Political Studies Association.
Category:Australian political research