Psephology
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Psephology is an obsolescent term for the statistical study of elections. Psephology uses compilations of precinct voting returns for elections going back some years, public opinion polls, campaign finance information and similar statistical data. The term was coined (from the Greek psephos, 'pebble', which the Greeks used as ballots) in the United Kingdom in 1952 by historian R. B. McCallum to describe the scientific analysis of past elections. The term is occasionally used by political scientists and historians in the UK, and rarely in the United States or Canada, except for one usage. Political journalists ridicule people who try to scientifically predict future elections by calling it psephology, suggesting it is akin to astrology. Thus journalist David S. Broder has explained, "The science of interpreting elections has a fancy name: psephology. A shorter, simpler and more accurate title for much election analysis is: fiction." David S. Broder; Psephology Finds Only Voter Indifference; Austin American Statesman (Texas); Sep 16, 1989.
However, psephology also has various applications deemed as more acceptable, specifically in analysing the results of election returns for current indicators, as opposed to predictive purposes. For instance, the Gallagher Index measures the disproportionality of an election.