RWI-GEO-VOTE: Small-scale data of the 2017 German federal election

The RWI-GEO-VOTE dataset was collected to understand how the refugee inflows affected the vote share of parties in the 2017 German federal election. The dataset provides granular insights into the 2017 German federal election at the 1 km x 1 km grid cell level. Compiled by the Research Data Center (FDZ) Ruhr at RWI, it covers 175,758 grid cells and provides data on valid votes for all parties that could be elected. The data collection process involved reassigning votes from the polling station to the grid cell level, excluding absentee ballots. The data generation process included intersecting populated grid cells with constituency (Wahlbezirk, smallest German unit) shapefiles, adjusting adult population shares, and linking grid cell/constituency combinations to municipalities. Election results were incorporated using electoral district geometries or polling station addresses, with unassigned grid cells filled in based on municipal-level data. This dataset is of interest to researchers who wish to analyze election results at a spatially granular level.