• Online application developed by political scientists calculates the alignment between users and political parties
• Vote Compass powered by rigorous independent analysis of party platforms and direct consultations with party representatives
• Vote Compass tool has featured in more than 50 elections worldwide and used by over 35 million people
• Application draws more than 100,000 users within 48 hours of launch

LONDON, June 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to help voters get a clearer sense of how their political views compare with those of the parties campaigning for election, a team of political scientists has launched votecompass.uk, an online tool that surveys users about their positions on a range of public policy issues and then provides them with a personalised analysis of their fit in the political landscape.

The application has already drawn over 100,000 users in just 48 hours.

Vote Compass offers users with all levels of political knowledge or interest an engaging and accessible entry point into the public policy dimension of the election. It was developed in collaboration with leading UK political scientists, including:

• Prof Sir John Curtice, professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde and senior research fellow at the National Centre for Social Research
• Prof Maria Sobolewska, professor of political science at the University of Manchester
• Prof Phil Cowley, professor of politics at Queen Mary University, London
• Dr Jac Larner, lecturer in politics at Cardiff University
• Dr Jamie Pow, lecturer in political science at Queen's University Belfast

Vote Compass is powered by a rigorous independent analysis of the party platforms. For the last six months, a team of analysts conducted a comprehensive review of policy statements made by political parties in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. They also engaged in direct consultations with representatives from each of the parties. The data collected from this process was used to calibrate the parties using a series of advanced statistical models that plot the parties in proximity to a Vote Compass user.

"Vote Compass is an incredible resource in terms of the rigorous research that has been undertaken to determine where each party sits on the ideological spectrum," said Prof Maria Sobolewska. "It's like having a team of political scientists do the preliminary research for you and present it in a very personalised and easy-to-understand format."

Originally intended to go live in advance of a fall election in partnership with a major UK media organisation, the snap summer election call necessitated an accelerated and independent launch of the Vote Compass tool. This launch marks the premiere appearance of Vote Compass in a UK election. Over the last 15 years, the tool has been featured in more than 50 elections worldwide and used by more than 35 million people. Vote Compass is operated by Vox Pop Labs.

Vote Compass will be available to the public through to Election Day (July 4, 2024) at votecompass.uk.

Vox Pop Labs is an independent, non-partisan, certified social enterprise founded and operated by academics. It was established in 2010 with the aim of promoting civic participation and democratic representation using innovative digital products and advanced data science. Its products have been used by tens of millions of people worldwide.

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