Scientifically sound election aid for the federal election now available online

• App available as of August 20
• Translated in six languages for broader user reach
• The VoteSwiper will begin simultaneously for elections in Berlin und Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

 
Starting August 20, 2021, anyone interested can once again use a scientifically founded decision-making aid for the Bundestag elections on September 26: The free app VoteSwiper - developed by a team led by political scientist Prof. Dr. Uwe Wagschal (University of Freiburg) and the agency MovAct - vividly guides users through politically controversial questions. In the evaluation, the users can then see which parties they are closest to with their answers. The app is published by the association VoteSwiper e. V., which is also responsible for it. The developers founded the association in 2021 to promote democracy and political education. This is the 16th time the app has been used, and now for the first time it is also available in six other languages.

36 questions from 20 policy areas

“The WahlSwiper asks a total of 36 questions from almost 20 policy areas. These include questions such as: Should the minimum wage be raised to at least twelve euros? Or: Should a nationwide rent cap be introduced?” explains Uwe Wagschal. “Our goal is to support voters in their election decision in a scientific and at the same time playful way - and thus also to strengthen political interest and political discourse,” says Wagschal. The questions are each explained using short videos, a unique feature of the digital decision-making aid. Users can answer the questions with yes or no and also give them double weighting if they seem particularly relevant to them. They can also skip questions.

Comparing party platforms

The analysis is based on a mathematical comparison with the answers given by the parties to the 36 questions posed. Users can then see the percentage by which their answers correspond to those of the parties. They can also go into greater depth and understand how the parties justify their answers. The researchers also use the anonymous data for further research, for example, on the approval of individual issues.

The translation of the VoteSwiper into English, Turkish, Russian, Arabic, Persian and Kurdish is an important concern for the WahlSwiper team, explains Matthias Bannert, project manager and board member of WahlSwiper. "We want to offer more people, and especially more diverse population groups, support for their voting decisions, especially people with an immigrant background." The translations were realized in cooperation with Ali Can's VielRespektStiftung.

The VoteSwiper is available as an app for smartphones and tablets and can be used directly on the voteswiper.org website. At the same time, V, the VoteSwipers for the elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, which also take place on September 26, will also be launched on August 20.

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