Two studies attempt to measure the effect of VAAs on political knowledge and vote choice during the Dutch municipal elections of 2014. In the first study, a sample of Gouda inhabitants is asked questions about knowledge, vote choice, and VAA usage, both before and after the elections. This allows us to compare knowledge scores and vote choices for VAA users and nonusers. Although the results of study 1 have a high ecological validity, a drawback is that the groups compared may differ a priori. Therefore, we simultaneously conducted a study in Utrecht. This study has a true experimental design: of those reporting not to use a VAA prior to the elections, a random half is assigned to VAA usage, and the other half is not. By comparing these groups on their knowledge and vote choices after the elections, methodologically sound conclusions about the effects of VAA usage can be drawn.
