Study title

Finnish Candidate Survey 2007

Dataset ID Number

FSD2507

Persistent identifier

urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD2507

Data Type

Quantitative

Authors

• Arter, David (University of Aberdeen. Department of Politics and International Relations)
• Widfeldt, Anders (University of Aberdeen. Department of Politics and International Relations)

Abstract

The survey charted parliamentary elections from the point of view of candidates, and it is part of the international Comparative Candidates Survey (CCS). Questions investigated for example election campaigns.

First, the respondents were asked in which year(s) they had stood as candidates for parliament and in which year(s) they had been elected to parliament. They were also asked whether they had been employed in the office of an MP or a government minister before becoming a parliamentary candidate. Membership in various organisations was also queried.

Some questions canvassed the time spent on campaign work and the importance of various campaign instruments (e.g. posters, ads, surgery time, public gatherings and events). The respondents were asked to place themselves on a scale according to whether they aimed at attracting as much attention as possible for them as a candidate or for their party. They were also asked to indicate whether they had raised any issues specific to their electoral district during the campaign. In addition, Internet use in campaigning was surveyed, as well as issues emphasised during the campaign. The number of people in the candidates' campaign team was queried, as well as use of professional consultants, campaign budget, and sources of funding. The respondents also expressed their views on how they had evaluated their chances of being elected in the beginning of the campaign. Finally, the respondents' satisfaction with the way democracy works in Finland was probed, and they told their views on whom an elected member of parliament should primarily represent.

Background variables included the respondent's gender, year of birth, electoral district, and political party preference.

Keywords

constituencies; election campaigns; election funding; elections; parliamentary candidates; parliamentary elections; voting

Topic Classification

• Social sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
• Political behaviour and attitudes (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• Elections (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Series

Individual datasets

Distributor

Finnish Social Science Data Archive

Access

The dataset is (B) available for research, teaching and study.

Data Collector

• Gallup Finland

Data Producers

• Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC)
• University of Mannheim

Time Period Covered

2007

Collection Dates

2007-11 – 2007-12

Nation

Finland

Geographical Coverage

Finland

Analysis/Observation Unit Type

Individual

Universe

Parliamentary candidates in the 2007 parliamentary elections

Time Method

Cross-section

Sampling Procedure

Total universe/Complete enumeration

The aim was to reach all candidates in the 2007 parliamentary elections via e-mail. At the data collection stage, 182 of the candidates' e-mail addresses were returned as no longer valid. After three reminders, altogether 522 returns were received. Thus, the response rate of the survey was 36 per cent.

Collection Mode

Self-administered questionnaire: E-mail

Research Instrument

Structured questionnaire

Response Rate

36

Data File Language

Downloaded data package may contain different language versions of the same files.

The data files of this dataset are available in the following languages: English and Finnish.

FSD translates quantitative data into English on request, free of charge. More information on ordering data translation.

Number of Cases and Variables

80 variables and 528 cases.

Data Version

1.0

Completeness of Data and Restrictions

The survey is part of the international Comparative Candidates Survey. For the Finnish survey, the original survey questionnaire was edited and some questions were removed. Therefore, the data do not contain variables q11 and q17.

Weighting

There are no weight variables in the data.

Citation Requirement

The data and its creators shall be cited in all publications and presentations for which the data have been used. The bibliographic citation may be in the form suggested by the archive or in the form required by the publication.

Bibliographical Citation

Arter, David (University of Aberdeen) & Widfeldt, Anders (University of Aberdeen): Finnish Candidate Survey 2007 [dataset]. Version 1.0 (2010-04-13). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD2507

Deposit Requirement

Notify FSD of all publications where you have used the data by sending the citation information to user-services.fsd@tuni.fi.

Disclaimer

The original data creators and the archive bear no responsibility for any results or interpretations arising from the reuse of the data.

Related Materials

Arter, David (2009). Viewing Campaigns from the Candidate's Perspective: The 2007 Finnish General Election: Full Research Report ESRC End of Award Report, RES-000-22-2376. Swindon: ESRC

Related Publications

Arter, David (2009). Viewing Campaigns from the Candidate's Perspective: The 2007 Finnish General Election. Full Research Report ESRC End of Award Report, RES-000-22-2376. Swindon: ESRC.

Liemola, Morris (2023). Sannfinländarna, valkampanj och sociala medier : Skillnader mellan Sannfinländarna och de övriga riksdagspartierna i riksdagsvalet 2019. Yhteiskuntatieteiden kandidaatintutkielma. Helsingin yliopisto, Svenska social- och kommunalhögskolan.