Online surveys
Results of the Wahl-O-Mat online surveys
What was collected?
A core component of this website is the publication of data obtained from surveys of Wahl-O-Mat users. With the exception of the Wahl-O-Mat versions for the 2002 Bundestag elections and the 2004 state elections in Saarland, detailed data material is available on the following questions, among others:
- What can be said about the users (age, gender, level of education, political interest)?
- How did users learn about the Wahl-O-Mat?
- Why is the Wahl-O-Mat used?
- What does the Wahl-O-Mat do?
- Do party preferences match the respective results of the Wahl-O-Mat?
- What effects does the use of the Wahl-O-Mat have?
Presentation of results
Please cite presentations as follows (YEAR = year of election; ELECTION = name of election, e.g., Bundestag election or state election in Thuringia):
Wahl-O-Mat Research (YEAR). Wahl-O-Mat ELECTION YEAR. Results of the online survey.
How was the data obtained?
A random sample was generated among the users of Wahl-O-Mat via a "layer" or "pop-up window" when leaving the website ("on-exit") or via a banner. Not everyone or anyone, but only every "nth" (fourth, sixth, tenth, etc.) was asked to participate in the survey. Of all those who have been asked to complete the questionnaire, approximately 10-15 percent comply with this request. This procedure is intended to ensure an approximate representativeness of the respondents in relation to the totality of Wahl-O-Mat users.
Why was the data collected?
The Wahl-O-Mat is a significant part of the political pre-election public. The tool was played around was used around 15.7 million times in the 2017 federal elections and 21.3 million times in the 2021 federal elections alone. This figure indicates the opportunities that the Wahl-O-Mat offers for increasing political interest and participation - especially among younger people. In order to further develop the tool, the analysis of the data obtained is a very important basis. For this reason, the Federal Agency for Civic Education has commissioned scientific monitoring of the tool, including regular surveys of users.