On January 21, 2025, San Francisco University of Quito (USFQ) unveiled its project, Así votamos los ecuatorianos (This is how we Ecuadorians vote). USFQ Data Hub, an interdisciplinary research laboratory, constructed the project. This innovative tool provides an accessible and interactive visualization dashboard for analyzing electoral behavior at national, provincial, and city levels.
The launch event, moderated by Pablo Medina—coordinator of USFQ’s degree program in political science—showcased the tool’s functionality. Medina explained the platform allows users to explore Ecuador’s electoral data from 2002 to 2023, offering features to compare data across different time periods and geographical regions.
The database’s development involved a careful four-step process—standardization, restructuring, extraction, and validation—led by Kristian Mendoza, a USFQ alumnus and database designer. To ensure accuracy and consistency, the USFQ Data Hub adopted provincial and city coding aligned with the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC). Challenges arose due to the National Electoral Council’s (CNE) varying territorial divisions, but the team overcame these by:
- Creating a dictionary with standardized terms and variables.
- Cleaning redundancies and disaggregating data.
- Filtering and grouping data where necessary.
After two years of verification procedures, the team produced an unprecedented, user-friendly database with visually engaging graphics designed to capture users’ attention.
Following the launch, a panel discussion explored the role of data analysis in policymaking. Panelists included professors and political scientists Camila Ulloa and Santiago Basabe, alongside journalist María Sol Borja.
Ulloa emphasized the tool’s potential for civil society, think tanks, and policymakers, noting its utility in addressing issues such as electoral absenteeism—a persistent phenomenon despite Ecuador’s mandatory voting laws. She also highlighted how the platform could support the development of targeted communications strategies.
Borja, in contrast, underscored the importance of data in shaping journalism, calling for a shift toward investigative reporting that can influence public policy: “Democracy is not only exercised through voting but also through oversight—a responsibility that journalism must embrace with greater commitment.”
Basabe stressed the necessity of empirical evidence in policy analysis, remarking: “Sciences are sciences when they are backed by data and verification; otherwise, they are just opinions.” He criticized the reliance on unbacked criteria in shaping public policy.
The panel also discussed potential risks associated with data use, beyond this specific project, particularly those with unverified sources. Risks include the proliferation of polarization amid echo chambers and misinformation in political campaigns through bots and fake news.
The event concluded with a call to action. Panelists urged users to approach information critically and responsibly, and Medina encouraged the audience to foster a culture of critical, data-driven analysis.
