Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The project was based around the data from a large scale opinion poll survey in which respondents were asked to <i>vote</i> again on ballot papers for the main electoral systems which are candidates for adoption for elections to the House of Commons. The four alternative systems under which respondents <i>voted</i> were the single transferable vote (STV); the alternative vote (AV); the supplementary vote (SV); and the additional member system (AMS). Various attitude questions were also asked. Data from this survey formed the basis for detailed simulations of how different systems would have operated in the general elections.

Non-random sampling based on demographic profiles of voters in the relevant regions. Quotas were set on the sex, age, social class and working status of the respondent. Sampling points were selected at random from a comprehensive list of the new political constituencies in Great Britain. Each constituency was allocated to a region wherein a specified number of interviews were required. (for more details see Technical Appendix 1 of the report).

Face-to-face interview