LibGuides: Government Datasets, Statistical Data &amp; Census Information: Government Voting & Election

Congressional voting datasets compile detailed records of legislative voting behavior in the United States Congress, encompassing votes on bills, resolutions, amendments, and procedural motions. These datasets provide valuable insights into the decision-making processes of lawmakers, party dynamics, and policy outcomes. Analysts, researchers, journalists, and policymakers utilize congressional voting datasets to analyze patterns of support and opposition, track legislative trends, and evaluate the effectiveness of legislative strategies. By examining voting records, stakeholders can assess the ideological positions of individual legislators, party cohesion, and the influence of interest groups on policymaking. Additionally, congressional voting datasets enable transparency and accountability in government by allowing citizens to monitor their representatives' voting behavior and hold them accountable for their actions. Accessible and comprehensive congressional voting data promotes civic engagement, informs public discourse, and strengthens democratic governance in the United States.

American National Election Studies American National Election Studies produces high-quality data on voting, public opinion, and political participation to serve the research needs of social scientists, teachers, students, policymakers, and journalists who want to better understand the theoretical and empirical foundations of national election outcomes. American National Election Studies is a collaboration of Stanford University and the University of Michigan, with funding by the National Science Foundation.
Census Bureau Voting and Registration The U.S. Census Bureau provides detailed information on reported voting and registration by various demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. The information is collected in November of congressional and presidential election years in the Current Population Survey (CPS).
Census of Governments The Census of Governments identifies the scope and nature of the nation's state and local government sector; provides authoritative benchmark figures of public finance and public employment.
Congressional Bills Project Provides information about more than 400,000 bills introduced in the U.S. Congress along with extensive information about each bill's progress and sponsor. The bills database uses Poole and Rosenthal's ICPSR member IDs to incorporate biographical and institutional position information about each bill's sponsor. Also classifies each bill's title according to the topic coding system of the Policy Agendas Project. Each bill is designated to be primarily about one major topic and one subtopic. Data in .tsv format; 1947-present.
Congressional Chronicle - Follow Votes
Congressional Voting Records: A Beginner's Guide (Library of Congress) A recurring subject of interest to our patrons is how to find congressional voting records (also called roll call information). This topic presents more challenges than may be readily apparent because researchers must not only determine what resources cover the period of time in which the laws at issue were passed but also whether that resource is available in a paper-based or freely available digital format.
FEC Campaign Finance Reports and Data The Federal Election Commission (FEC), an independent regulatory agency created by Congress in 1975, administers and enforces the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) which governs the financing of federal elections. The Campaign Finance Disclosure Portal offers one point of entry to campaign finance data.
Govtrack Congressional Votes Database Each year the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives take thousands of votes, some to pass bills, resolutions, nominations, and treaties, and others on procedural matters such as on cloture and other motions. Not all votes are recorded, such as when there is no one opposed. This page shows the outcome of all recorded votes on the Senate floor and House floor. It does not include votes in the committee.

ProQuest Congressional This link opens in a new window Provides the tools for searching the Congressional Record, finding members of Congress, tracking proposed legislation by keyword and sponsor, and searching Congressional hearings, the Federal Register, the U.S. Serial Set Digital Collection, Congressional committee schedules, Committee Prints and Miscellaneous Publications, and Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports.
ProQuest Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports This link opens in a new window Includes the full text of reports from the Congressional Research Service (CRS) which was established within the Library of Congress to provide members, committees, and congressional staff with nonpartisan and objective research and analysis on all public policy issues.

Policy Agendas Project The U.S. Policy Agendas Project collects and organizes data from various archived sources to trace changes in the national policy agenda and public policy outcomes of the United States since the Second World War. The Coded series includes but is not limited to Congressional hearings, public laws, roll call votes, Congressional Quarterly articles, party platforms, budget authority, Presidential State of the Union speeches, Executive Orders, Supreme Court cases, a sample of New York Times articles, and Gallup’s Most Important Problem public opinion series. Data in .csv; generally 1947-present.
Vital Statistics on Congress Ornstein and Mann's classic print volume will now only be online. Tables cover member demographics, congressional elections, campaign finance, committees, staff, and operating expenses, workload and productivity, action on the federal budget, polarization, and voting alignments. Data in Excel format; dates vary, but generally 1950-present.
Voteview Congressional Voting Data Provides real-time data on roll call votes, members' of Congress voting histories and their ideology (using NOMINATE scores, a way of spatially measuring ideology on a liberal-conservative economic axis and on a salient "issues of the day" axis), and party ideology scores for each individual Congress back to 1789. Also has a searchable interface and many visualization options. Data in csv and JSON formats; also accessible via the Rvoteview package.

Elections and voting data in the United States comprise a comprehensive collection of information related to the electoral process, voter demographics, turnout, and election results. These datasets encompass data on federal, state, and local elections, including presidential, congressional, gubernatorial, and municipal races. They provide insights into voter registration trends, demographic shifts, and patterns of political participation. Analysts, researchers, policymakers, and political campaigns utilize elections and voting data to analyze electoral outcomes, identify voter preferences, and assess the impact of campaign strategies and policies. By examining elections and voting data, stakeholders can understand the dynamics of American democracy, track historical trends, and make evidence-based decisions to enhance electoral integrity and participation. Accessible and transparent elections and voting data support informed citizenry, promote electoral accountability, and uphold the principles of democracy in the United States.

American Presidency Project: Presidential Election Data Electoral and popular vote results from 1789 to the present for US Presidential Elections.
American National Election Studies (ANES)
Center for American Women and Politics: Voters The Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP), a unit of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is nationally recognized as the leading source of scholarly research and current data about American women’s political participation. This site presents data and analysis of women's voting behavior, including statistics on turnout and the gender gap in voting.
Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives: Election Statistics Official vote counts from 1920 to the present for presidential and congressional elections compiled by the Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. This site also contains links to election resources found on the websites of the Census Bureau, National Archives, Federal Election Commission, and state election offices.
Election Administration and Voting Survey and Data Sets Data and analyses of US elections, including data on presidential, congressional, and gubernatorial elections, political parties, campaigns, and demographic information.
Federal Election Commission Data Catalog Downloadable campaign finance information
Harvard Election Data Archive A space to share and improve election data. You can create an account and either correct the cataloging information for the studies in this dataverse or upload new data files.
Historical Election Returns Datasets, 1788-1990 Four ICPSR studies that provide datasets of electoral returns for approx. 90% of all elections to the offices of president, governor, United States senator, and United States representative for all parties and candidates 1788-1990. Most returns are at the county level.
Library of Congress U.S. Election Statistics: A Resource Guide A list of online and print resources that contain U.S. election statistics for both federal and state elections.
National Archives: Historical Election Results The Office of the Federal Register at the National Archives coordinates the functions of the Electoral College on behalf of the Archivist of the United States, the States, and the Congress. This site contains the electoral votes and popular votes from 1789 to the present.
Roper Data Set Search
U.S. Census Bureau: Voting and Registration Voting and Registration data have been collected biennially by the U.S. Census Bureau in the November Current Population Survey (CPS). The statistics presented on this website are based on replies to survey inquiries about whether individuals were registered and/or voted in specific national elections. For the purpose of these estimates, election types are considered to be either congressional or presidential.
United States Election Project: Voter Turnout Dr. Michael McDonald, an Associate Professor at George Mason University, provides national and state voter turnout statistics from 1980 to the present.

Elections & Voting Data - International datasets encompass diverse information on electoral processes, voting behaviors, and election outcomes across countries and regions worldwide. These datasets compile data on various aspects of elections, including voter registration, campaign finance, electoral laws, turnout rates, and election results. International organizations, governments, researchers, and civil society groups utilize these datasets to analyze democratic practices, monitor electoral integrity, and promote electoral reform efforts globally. By examining international elections and voting data, stakeholders can compare electoral systems, assess the effectiveness of electoral management bodies, and identify trends in voter participation and political competition. Additionally, these datasets facilitate cross-national studies on democracy, governance, and political development, enabling policymakers to learn from international best practices and promote democratic norms and values. Accessible and comprehensive international elections and voting data support efforts to strengthen democratic processes and uphold the principles of free and fair elections worldwide.

CEPPS Election Guide Information on international elections: Subnational elections of high interest; Political parties and candidates; Referendum provisions; News on election-related laws and developments around the world; Political institutions and electoral systems; Election results and voter turnout.
Constituency-Level Elections Archive (CLEA) Contains approximately 1100 elections from 70+ countries at a constituency level for lower house legislative elections. Includes votes received by each candidate/party, total votes cast, number of eligible voters, and seat figures where available. Available in Stata, SPSS, and raw data formats. Dates are variable, but generally 1945+
Global Elections Database Build data sets on national and subnational elections around the world 1940s-2010s. Accessible in multiple formats: spreadsheets, tables and GIS maps.
International Relations (USC) Listed below are links to sites that provide data on election results, voter turnout, and political party information outside of the United States. Descriptions of resources are adapted or quoted from vendor websites.
Psephos - Adam Carr's Election Archive Statistics for national legislative and presidential elections from 182 countries, mostly late 1990s forward. Many elections have regional or subnational breakdowns. All results are in text format. Many countries also have electoral maps showing subnational results. (Browse using the alphabetical index at the top left.)

Last updated on Sep 11, 2024 1:49 PM