The Swedish election studies comprise a sample survey carried out in cooperation with Statistics Sweden and the Department of Political Science at Gothenburg University. The studies have been conducted in connection with each election to the Riksdag (Swedish Parliament) since 1956. Studies have also been carried out at the time of the referenda in 1957, 1980, 1994 and 2003, and also at the time of each election to the European Parliament since 1995. All studies are based on large samples, and non-response is relatively low. Hence, the Swedish election studies are, together with the slightly older American election studies, the most comprehensive material for systematic studies of voter behaviour.
Results from election studies in connection with the 1957 referendum on pension funds are found in Opinionsbildningen vid folkomröstningen 1957 (Särlvik, SOU 1959:10) and the 1980 referendum on nuclear power in Kampen om kärnkraften (Holmberg & Asp, Liber 1984). Statistics Sweden's publication on the 1994 referendum on EU membership, Folkomröstningen om medlemskap i EU, reviews election behaviour at that time. Results from that study are also available in Ett knappt ja till EU (Giljam & Holmberg (red.), Norstedts Juridik 1996).
The study in connection with the 2003 referendum on the euro is reviewed in the chapter "Ett klart NEJ till euron" (A clear NO to the euro), included in Statistics Sweden's publication Folkomröstning om euron 2003. Further analyses on the euro referendum are found in Statistics Sweden's report Ja och nej till euron and in Kampen om euron (Oscarsson & Holmberg (red.), Göteborg University 2004). Both publications are available on Statistics Sweden's website, see the following links:
Statistics Sweden also presents the main results of referenda, and an electoral participation survey is carried out. For more information regarding these studies, please see the following links:
Election studies are also carried out at the time of election to the Riksdag or the European Parliament. Please see the following links: