Data-Driven Democracy: Understanding What Engages Voters in Malmö

In 2024, the City of Malmö launched a dedicated initiative aimed at strengthening democracy over the long term. One of the key goals was to increase voter turnout and create the conditions for more Malmö residents to feel able and motivated to participate in local democratic processes. To succeed, the city needed a deeper understanding of people’s perspectives, needs, and motivations, so it partnered with the communications bureau BBDO and Perspetivo.

Quantitative surveys were conducted with Malmö residents aged 18 and over, one before and one after the 2024 EU election. Special attention was given to including respondents from areas with historically low voter turnout. The purpose was to map knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to voting and civic engagement, and to identify similarities and differences across geographic and demographic groups. These insights served as the foundation for targeted communication efforts, and allowed for a follow-up survey to measure their effectiveness.

The survey achieved a 95% confidence level with a ±4% margin of error, and was demographically representative of Malmö’s population. The analysis focused on uncovering how different groups perceive and participate in the democratic process.

The result?

Malmö gained concrete, data-driven insights into how residents engage with democracy. These insights informed targeted outreach efforts by BBDO, designed to activate and involve more citizens in the democratic conversation. The follow-up measurement also provided a clear picture of the impact of these efforts, and how they contributed to building a more inclusive democratic system across the city.

Impact Highlights:

73% of those exposed to the communication efforts said it sparked their interest in voting in the EU election
88% gave positive feedback on the communication