Election nights are exciting moments for politicians, journalists, and voters, but researchers still know little about what really happens on election night. Winning and losing in countries with multiple parties is rarely clear-cut. Who is actually considered a winner and who are the losers? The purpose of this project is to understand how and why politicians and journalists try to frame election results in a certain way in the immediate aftermath of democratic elections. It will also examine the extent to which such framing has effects on voter perceptions of winners and losers alongside political and media cynicism.

Funder: NWO M grant

Researchers: Katjana Gattermann; Linda Bos, Haylee Kelsall

Start date: 1-10-2023

End date: 30-9-2028