Challenges with Validating Survey Data

Abstract

Turnout rates based on survey self-reports are consistently higher than rates based on official government records. Some scholars believe the discrepancy is largely a result of survey respondents misreporting their voting behavior, and have advocated using official government records rather than self-reports to measure turnout among respondents. Validating post-election turnout self-reports using voter files from government databases face substantial challenges in matching government records to survey respondents. This chapter discusses mechanisms likely to underlie discrepancies between self-reports and government records of turnout, and highlights the need for greater transparency in studies that utilize pre-processes voter file records from the government.