Global Research Infrastructure

Comparative Study of Election Surveys

A collaborative international research program investigating citizen voting behavior and democratic institutions across 55+ democracies.

55+ Countries & Polities
6 Survey Modules
30+ Years of Data (1996–2026)
1,200+ Published Studies
Current Module Second Advance Release Available (Dec 2025)

CSES Module 6 (2021–2026): Representative Democracy Under Pressure

Includes survey data from 17 polities (Australia, Austria, Brazil, Denmark, France, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, USA, and more).

Get Module 6 Data →

Survey Modules (Chronological)

Full release standalone election study datasets from Module 5 (2016–2021) down to Module 1 (1996–2001).

Module 5 2016–2021

Democracy Divided: Populism & Representation

Examines populist attitudes, anti-establishment sentiment, and citizen-elite ideological congruency across 54 national election studies.

Module 4 2011–2016

Distributional Politics & Social Protection

Investigates how institutions shape citizen attitudes toward economic inequality, redistribution, welfare spending, and mobilization.

Module 3 2006–2011

Meaningful Choices & Democratic Performance

Explores whether elections provide voters with distinct policy alternatives, and how perceived choices affect satisfaction with democracy.

Module 2 2001–2006

Accountability & Representation

Evaluates clarity of political responsibility in single-party vs. coalition governments and citizen perceptions of responsiveness.

Module 1 1996–2001

Impact of Electoral Institutions

Foundational study analyzing the comparative effects of varying electoral systems on political behavior and social cleavages.

Longitudinal Harmonized Dataset Modules 1–5 (1996–2021)

CSES Integrated Module Dataset (IMD)

Brings together selected harmonized variables from CSES Modules 1 through 5 into one longitudinal dataset spanning over 395,000 observations across 230 elections in 59 polities.

IMD Quick Downloads (Feb 2024 Release)
ESC