Single Transferable Vote Ballot Paper for Scottish Local Elections May 2007: Qualitative Research to Inform Design

2.1 Methodology

100 in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted in four locations in Scotland
interviews were semi-structured and lasted about 20 minutes
respondents were recruited spontaneously on the street and interviewed immediately
they were asked to use each of the four proposed ballot papers in polling booths as if taking part in a real election, and then discussed them with the interviewer
respondents in two locations were informed that there were three seats available in the ward they were voting in and in the other two locations they were told there were four seats
- this approach was used in order to determine whether the number of preferences people expressed was related to the number of seats available
prominent/well known Scottish politicians were used as candidates on the ballot papers in order to help respondents who might want to vote for more than one candidate from the same party make informed decisions with regard to their preferred choices
respondents were supplied with a separate information sheet on STV voting prepared specially for the research project
interviews were conducted 10 ^th - 12 ^th October 2006 by Lisa Malangone, Africa Munyama, Tim Porter and Amy Turton

2.2 Sample

100 interviews with people who will be eligible to vote in Scotland by May 2007 and who intend to vote
25 each in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Inverness
24 aged 17-24; 17 aged 25-34; 23 aged 35-45; 18 aged 46-60; 18 aged 61-70+ (11 aged 61-70; 7 aged 71+)
49 Male; 51 Female
48 BC1 social class; 24 C2; 28 DE
37 with five or more Standard grade passes, GCSEs at grade C or above, or O levels at grade 6 and above; 63 with fewer than five
- those with lower educational attainment were over-represented to ensure that any issues relating to comprehension of the ballot papers and the STV process were captured
61 who identified with a political party; 39 who did not or refused to say
of those who did, 30 identified most with Labour, 17 with the Scottish National Party, 7 with the Conservative Party, 5 with the Liberal Democrats, 2 with the Scottish Socialist Party

The Scottish Government