A new ARC Linkage project will investigate voting attitudes and behaviours across the Victorian electorate.

In one of the most ambitious studies of its type, University of Adelaide and Flinders University researchers will collaborate with the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) to conduct a large-scale study combining experimental data, aggregate-level data and individual-level data in order to provide a multi-dimensional picture of the character of (and motivations behind) voting in Victoria, Australia.

Chief investigator Professor of Politics Lisa Hill,  Katharina Kretschmer, also from University of Adelaide, and Associate Professor Rodrigo Praino from the College of Business, Government and Law at Flinders University, will partner with the VEC to conduct the major new study.

“This is the first study of its kind anywhere in the world, and it will help to make voting a better experience to a large number of voters in Victoria,” says Associate Professor Praino.

“I am really excited to work with the University of Adelaide and to collaborate with the VEC to better understand voting behaviour and to achieve significant social impact, in line with our mission here at the Flinders College of Business, Government and Law.”

The research aims to have direct policy applications and significant social impact by improving the voting experience of a large number of voters.

What are they doing? An online voter survey following the 2022 Victorian state election as part of a larger research project on voting attitudes and behaviour in Victoria.

The four to five year study includes four interconnected studies that comprehensively analyse trends and attitudes in local and state elections between 2020 to 2024.

The research will result in recommendations that make voting more inclusive for voters at Victorian elections.

The study aims to:

• Achieve a thorough understanding of voting behaviour to enhance Victorian democracy and help the VEC improve the election experience for voters.
• Better understand how voters feel about voting and why they cast votes in certain ways.
• Enhance democracy by maximising citizen participation; ensuring that every voice is heard and that people’s preferences are properly taken into account

The findings will be applicable to other Australian and international jurisdictions.