The discipline of political polling is under siege. Amidst accusations of partisanship, epochal shifts in party politics across global democracies, and the emergence of new communications technologies, it’s tougher than ever to craft predictive insights.
One challenge is that polls traditionally focus on standard batteries of multiple choice questions–supplemented by focus groups–rather than on the collection and analysis of voter language and emotion at scale.
Glimpse is working on a new approach to political polling that sifts through massive amounts of qualitative data to find leading indicators of trends and opportunities to engage voters using the language and categories that they employ to understand and evaluate the world.
The next step: crafting digital twins of voter segments in order to test messaging in real time!
Here’s just one small example of how Glimpse is diving into the realm of political polling, spearheaded by a Glimpse operations manager who is especially interested in the state of Indian democracy.
Two of the world’s largest democracies—India and the United States—are facing crucial elections this year. But how their voters decide on leadership couldn’t be more different.
As Delhi prepares for its Legislative Assembly election on February 5, 2025, Indian voters are making choices that reflect broader governance trends. To understand voter perceptions, Glimpse surveyed 201 Indian citizens and compared the findings to a U.S. voter sentiment study of 455 Americans.
The biggest divide? What voters value in a leader.
61.1% of U.S. voters consider integrity and honesty the most important qualities in a leader.
In contrast, only 8.5% of Indian voters feel the same.
(Though of course we know that voters often make decisions in the moment that are vastly different from their stated values.)
Using Glimpse’s multi-study AI segment chat, we broke down the leadership expectations, political trust, and voting motivations of these two electorates, focusing especially on the actual language used by voters.
Development Wins Over Ideology
Indian voters demand results—and policy execution determines their decisions.
Unlike in the U.S., where partisan loyalty is entrenched, Indian voters are pragmatic and willing to switch parties if a leader fails to deliver. Top Issues for Indian Voters:
Based on synthesized open-ended responses from 201 Indian citizens, one message is clear: “The next elected representatives in Delhi must prioritize making our city environmentally sustainable and enhancing our education and healthcare systems.”Leadership Qualities That Matter in IndiaAlthough policy takes precedence over character traits, when asked what traits are valued in a leader, Indian voters listed problem-solving ability (37.3%) and vision for future (43.3%) over personal integrity (8.5%). Indian voters seek leaders who get things done, whereas U.S. voters tend to focus on moral integrity (61.1%) and symbolic leadership (53.4%).Why Do Stated Leadership Expectations Differ?The stark contrast in leadership expectations between India and the U.S. is shaped by history, economic priorities, and political structures. To dive deeper into these differences, we asked Glimpse’s multi-study AI Segment Chat feature the same question.
Based on the 656 total respondents, here’s what it uncovered:
India: Indian voters seek leaders to drive infrastructure development, economic reforms, and policy execution. With fast-growing urban populations and ongoing governance challenges, efficiency and competence are critical.
U.S.: With a deeply polarized political landscape, U.S. voters often prioritize integrity and moral values to distinguish between candidates in a two-party system. This results in elections centered around character debates rather than governance performance.
India: Indian voters express higher satisfaction with their multi-party system, which allows for regional representation and the ability to shift party loyalties based on performance. While corruption is an issue, Indian voters still trust the system’s ability to reflect their needs and adjust based on electoral performance.
U.S.: 36.5% of U.S. voters believe the two-party system fails to represent them, and 22.2% express “no trust at all” in the electoral process.U.S. voters share:“The two parties are polar opposites and don’t meet the needs of the people.”“I feel we need a third party that is in the middle.”“More than 2 perspectives on the country.”“It’s too polarized.”“They are both wings of what is truly wrong with our government.”“We need more choices.”These responses illustrate the polarizing dichotomy between Republicans and Democrats, differing immensely from India’s intricate system of 6 national parties and 58 state parties.
India: Voters in India are more fluid in their political choices. If a party underperforms, they switch support to an alternative with a better track record. Their focus remains on governance performance as opposed to party affiliation. A mere 13% of respondents stated that supporting a specific political party was their main motivation for voting, indicating its minimal influence.
U.S.: Voter loyalties tend to be rigid. Many Americans remain committed to either Democrats or Republicans for life, making party identity as important as policy or leadership performance. When asked why respondents were voting for their chosen candidate, responses include: “Because Kamala Harris is an extreme leftist who is not fit to run.”“She represents my values, she is clear and direct, and most importantly she isn’t a felon with the memory of a goldfish.”“BECAUSE IT’S TRUE. I WILL BE VOTING FOR DJT. I AM SICK OF SEEING OUR CITIES RUINED BY LEFTIST DEMOCRATS.”
This research illustrates a fundamental divide in how leadership is evaluated across two of the world’s largest democracies. Indian voters prioritize governance and results, adapting their choices based on performance, while U.S. voters focus on integrity and ideological alignment, often within rigid party structures. These differences are not just cultural—they reflect the distinct political landscapes shaping voter expectations. Through Glimpse’s multi-study AI segment chat and analysis features we identified these contrasts by synthesizing thousands of open-ended responses. With 56% of Indian respondents supporting BJP, 27% AAP, and 14% INC, voter sentiment appears aligned with broader governance trends. For both the U.S. and Indian election, time will tell if their contrasting approaches yield their intended results. Whether you’re navigating political polling, market research, or audience engagement, Glimpse’s tools provide the precision and depth you need to stay ahead.
Glimpse's AI-driven political research reveals key differences between Indian and U.S. voters. While Indian voters prioritize governance and policy execution, U.S. voters emphasize integrity and ideological loyalty. Using AI-driven multi-study analysis, Glimpse uncovers insights into leadership expectations, party loyalty, and voter trust, offering a transformative approach to political polling.
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