Elections, Public Opinion and Parties (EPOP)

EPOP brings together people interested in the study of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties. It has more than 250 members, including media commentators, leading opinion pollsters and national party officials as well as academics. If you would like to become a member of EPOP, you can register here. EPOP members qualify for a reduced conference rate and are eligible to apply for our funding opportunities (below). 

We maintain a dedicated mailing list to keep members updated about activities, research, events and job opportunities that might be of interest - if you'd like to join the mailing list (you don't have to be an EPOP member!), just send us a quick email.

EPOP has its own journal, The Journal of Elections, Public Opinion & Parties, which publishes the latest, highest quality research on elections, public opinion and participation, and political parties. The journal welcomes submissions based on either comparative or single nation studies, and has no methodological bias other than demonstrable excellence. 

EPOP Annual Conference

The 2023 Conference will be hosted by Southampton University on 8-9 September in the University's National Oceanographic Centre.

A pre-EPOP event is also being planned for Thursday September 7th including an ECR-focused event led by Prof. Rob Ford in collaboration with UK in a Changing Europe. For further details, see the finalised conference programme.

Registration is now closed.

Any questions about EPOP 2023 can be sent to: s.turnbull-dugarte@soton.ac.uk.

EPOP at PSA24

We are pleased to announce that EPOP are now accepting submissions for papers and panels for the 2024 PSA Annual Conference. To submit an individual paper, please follow this link and provide your details and an abstract of no more than 200 words no later than Tuesday the 5th September.

Should you want to submit a complete panel, please email its details (inc. paper titles, names and abstracts) directly to a.barclay1@sheffield.ac.uk by the same date.

EPOP Funding and Awards

EPOP provides numerous funding opportunities and awards both in recognition of and to support its members' research in the field of elections, public opinion and political parties. Details of these can be found below, and keep an eye on our Twitter account and newsletter for announcements of when applications open!

Sir David Butler Prize for Lifetime Contribution to the Study of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties

Sir David Butler was one of the founding fathers of the quantitative study of elections in Britain and thus the discipline of psephology (which he also named). His influence on the research field of elections, public opinion and parties cannot be over-stated, but he is also one of the disciplines great advocates. He maintained a high public profile through his many authoritative appearances on BBC election night coverage, links with political journalists, and a clear and readable writing through what is now an institution not just for scholars, but for anyone interested in elections and politics: Nuffield Election Studies book series. David was a giant in research, and in public engagement, but also a supportive and inspirational figure for his younger colleagues and students, and an active member of the Political Science Association. David sadly passed away in 2022, and in his memory EPOP has established the 'Sir David Butler Prize for Lifetime Contribution to the Study of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties'. This prize will celebrate a notable scholar either retired or close to retirement, who made a distinctive and indelible mark on our discipline, and who is or was a member or significant supporter of EPOP and is or was predominantly based in the UK.

Given the breadth of David’s contribution, we define distinctive and indelible mark on our discipline broadly, including:

-              substantive contribution whether theoretical or empirical

-              public engagement and advocacy for the discipline,

-              setting up and/or managing significant infrastructure and resources for the discipline

-              educating a new generation of scholars through mentorship and supervision

Nominations for this prize are currently closed. 

Anthony King Award - currently accepting applications!

Prof Anthony King was another founding member of EPOP who made an enourmous contribution to the group's success and to the study of elections and voting in Britain. In memory of Prof King, EPOP has established an annual Anthony King Award to support timely and innovative research in the study of elections, public opinion and parties. EPOP members can apply for up to £1,000 to host an event that brings together academic and non-academic audiences to share and discuss the latest research in our field. Applications can be submitted for the Anthony King Award at any time using the application form at the bottom of this page.

Professor Ron Johnston Methodological Training Award

Professor Ron Johnston was one of the most outstanding human geographers of his generation and placed electoral geography firmly at the heart of the study of elections in Britain. A long-time supporter of EPOP and a familiar face at EPOPs conferences he educated many generations of EPOP members. Ron’s early interest in quantitative methods and commitment to testing theories rigorously with empirical data made him an advocate for methodological excellence and training in the discipline. Ron sadly passed away in 2020 and in his memory EPOP has established the Ron Johnston Methodological Training Award. This award will help members of EPOP towards the costs of attending a methods training course (of any method relevant to the field of study, quantitative or qualitative). It is open for applications from any EPOP member at any stage of their career, but we would like to particularly encourage early career colleagues including PhD students and those whose research allowances are not sufficient to cover the costs of methods training.

We will make multiple awards, depending on volume of applications, and we will make this a recurring competition. The first Awards will be made in the Spring 2023 and we invite applications including: a 2 page CV, and a 1 page cover letter explaining what costs are sought and why they are necessary. The maximum awarded will be £500. 

EPOP/YouGov Survey Project Award - not currently accepting applications.

To support EPOP members with their research, EPOP and YouGov offer the chance for a number of questions to be included into a YouGov survey of a representative sample of the UK population, with the costs met by EPOP. This opportunity is awarded on a competitive basis, with priority given to proposals that contribute to the understanding of the British electorate, are innovative (substantively or methodologically), advance the research agenda of early career academics, and come from individuals who may struggle to access funding through alternative sources. Applications for this award are currently closed. 

David Broughton Award

Prof David Broughton was involved with EPOP from its inception and played an integral role in its success. He was also one of the founding editors of the British Elections and Parties Yearbook, which later became the Journal of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties. David passed away in 2017, and in his memory EPOP has established the 'David Broughton Award', which provides up to £200 to support graduate students in the fields of elections, public opinion and parties to attend EPOP's Annual Conference.