Public Opinion
Public opinion can play a critical role in political and electoral development in a country and research in this area highlights the complex collection of opinions that impact the political process. The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) understands the tide of public opinion becomes more crucial during elections and has developed research tools to gauge these sentiments, using them to inform project activities and better understand the political context of individual nations.
Through the Center for Applied Research and Learning, public opinion research approaches are developed for each country context, with no one-size-fits-all approach. This method has unearthed findings across the globe on voter education, elections, government, social status and much more.
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Director, Monitoring and Evaluation and Public Opinion Research
Related Content
12 Nov 2009 | Survey
IFES has issued more information on its survey "Public Opinion in Ukraine: Findings from an IFES 2009 Survey." Conducted in November 2009, the survey gives insight into the population’s political...
4 May 2009 | Multimedia
The video conveys a picture of the existing void between governance and citizen participation. It illustrates the socio-political issues facing the Philippine government and society.
29 Nov 2008 | Publication
Description: Does African dependence on foreign aid undermine the evolution of representative institutions? Using cross-national data and public opinion data, Olufunmbi M. Elemo, a PhD candidate in...
3 Nov 2008 | News and Updates
Jamie Dettmer explains why Americans should celebrate their democracy - The Kojo Nnamdi Show
19 Aug 2008 | Multimedia
Pagkakaiba is a short film in filipino with english subtitles that looks at the similarities of all people versus the differences that divide us.
5 Aug 2008 | Survey
This report details findings from the IFES post-election public opinion survey in Kosovo. This is the 7th public opinion poll IFES conducted in Kosovo since 2000.
15 Jun 2007 | Publication
Under a joint project of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. State Department (EUR/ACE), Democracy International (DI) conducted a comprehensive study of efforts to...
3 Nov 2006 | Multimedia
Thousands of protesters are taking to the streets of Kyrgyzstan's capital to call for the resignation of President Kurmanbek Bakiev. The president said in a televised address that he would not step...
31 Jan 2005 | Publication
The main objective of this paper is to encourage open debate and reform action in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region on the need to create the legal and political enabling environment...
31 Dec 2003 | Publication
This investigation combines techniques of qualitative and quantitative research. The specific goal of the study is to increase the knowledge of the post electoral opinions and perceptions...
31 Mar 2003 | Publication
This report summarizes the IFES Civic Education Project in Kazakhstan from 2002-2003. The report includes diagrams from the Civic Education Course, Civics tournament, Student groups and...
30 Nov 2002 | Publication
This report summarizes IFES’ technical election assistance and civil society projects in Uzbekistan. The report provides a critical and objective analysis of the electoral code with...
5 Oct 2000 | Publication
In the run-up to Uganda's referendum of June 2000, a national survey was conducted of a representative cross-section of 2271 adult Ugandan citizens. The survey covered all four regions of the...
30 Sep 2000 | Publication
This survey measured public opinion in Ukraine regarding the political environment, economic and political reform and public confidence in Ukrainian institutions and leaders.
31 Jul 2000 | Publication
This report details a series of IFES conducted focus groups from May 2000. The aim of the focus groups centered on how ordinary Armenians felt about their leaders and institutions, their...
31 May 2000 | Publication
This report summarizes IFES findings from five different surveys which explore the role of women and their role as members of the society and political system at large. The surveys...
31 Dec 1999 | Election Material
“Mexico is Also Counting on You” is an informative survey, available in Spanish, issued in 2000 by the Federal Electoral Institute in Mexico and it surveys teens regarding their opinions on their...
31 Dec 1999 | Election Material
“Democratic Party Platform 2000” is a 2000 Democratic Platform survey sample prepared for Mrs. Romila Sodhir by the Democratic National Committee. The survey document includes a personal...
31 Dec 1999 | Election Material
“Test Your Civic Imagination” is an article that appeared in the October 19, 2000 edition of “The Christian Science Monitor.” The piece focuses on civic participation in that year’s presidential...
31 Dec 1999 | Election Material
“So Why don’t You Vote” is a one page article published in “The Christian Science Monitor” in 2000. The article provides some global statistics on the US’ ranking in voter participation as well...
31 May 1999 | Publication
This report serves as a midterm report on progress towards decentralized democratic governance in Ghana and the implementation of Project ECSELL (Enhancing Civil Society Effectiveness at...
28 Feb 1999 | Publication
IFES Survey conducted Dec.-Feb. in Indonesia by Insight (PT. Insightindo Arya Dhanna); Analysis by Steven Wagner; Sample of 1507 nationally representative adults (18+); Margin of sampling error is...
6 Feb 1999 | Publication
This report offers background on the Star Radio project, as well as general information on the Liberian political and economic climate in Liberia. The report also provides an evaluation of the...
31 Dec 1998 | Publication
This report presents the results of a survey of public opinion conducted in Azerbaijan during
October and November, 1998. This IFES survey was the first authentically national...
30 Sep 1998 | Publication
This survey measured public opinion in Ukraine in 1998. The major topics discussed include the political environment in Ukraine, views towards economic and political reforms and gauges the...
30 Nov 1997 | Publication
This report analyzes voter participation among Salvadorans and discusses the reasons why they do and do not participate in elections. The report also looks at Salvadorans’ understanding of...
30 Nov 1997 | Publication
This survey measured public opinion in Ukraine in 1997. The major topics discussed include the political environment in Ukraine, views towards economic and political reforms and gauges the...
31 Oct 1997 | Publication
The report is a study of the political participation of citizens in Peru. The results and recommendations are presented in the report along with various responses to a range of electoral...
28 Feb 1997 | Publication
This report is designed to be used as a resource document for all those involved in the electoral reform and modernization process in the Philippines. Included in the report are...
31 Dec 1996 | Publication
This report documents IFES’ collection of data concerning public opinion in Uzbekistan from 2000. Specifically, this report discusses the preparatory stages of conducting the survey,...
31 Jul 1996 | Publication
This report summarizes the findings from a nation-wide IFES conducted survey in Armenia in 1996. The questionnaire covered a multitude of subjects including Armenian views towards NGOs,...
30 Apr 1996 | Election Material
This April/May 1996 issue of “Juluka” focuses on the link between turbulence in South Africa’s economy and its uncertain political landscape. Anxieties regarding the health of President Mandela...
28 Nov 1995 | Publication
IFES conducted surveys in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan in 1995. The public opinion survey is part of its election administration and voter education support project in Central Asia. The...
30 Sep 1995 | Publication
This survey polled Russian citizens on the political environment, institutions and officials, attitudes toward the electoral system, voting patterns, political parties and voter education...
30 Sep 1995 | Publication
This survey documents Russian citizenries’ interest in politics and government throughout various regions throughout the country. The survey also discusses economic factors.
31 Mar 1995 | Election Material
“Celebration 2004 Vouloir” is a civic education bulletin from 1991, created by the organization Celebration 2004, which features news articles, poems and editorials in both French and Creole all...
31 Dec 1994 | Election Material
This report was presented at the Women for Social Progress Movement's Voter Education Seminar in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on November 18, 1995. The report discusses voter's rights and...
30 Sep 1992 | Election Material
“En Route avec Notre Peuple vers la Democratie (Declaration sur la situation guineenne)” is an October 1992 report, available in French, which summarizes the Guinean situation in connection to the...
30 Nov 1991 | Election Material
This is a one page article from the “Commentary” section of the Sunday December 29, 1991 edition of the St. Louis “Post-Dispatch.” The piece is calling on citizens of the State of Missouri to...
29 Jun 1990 | Election Material
“Children are Speaking” is a survey result graph, available in Spanish, published in 1990 in the “Hoy” newspaper in Ecuador. The graph illustrates children’s opinions regarding their rights and...
31 May 1990 | Election Material