The RAND Continuous 2012 Presidential Election Poll implements an innovative way to forecast the results of the U.S. presidential election that will be held on November 4, 2012. Its two main innovations are that respondents are asked to express the percent chance of voting for each candidate and that the study is conducted within a panel. …
The sample for the study consists of members of the RAND American Life Panel (ALP). The ALP is an internet panel that is representative of the U.S. population of 18 years and older. Representation is attained by using standard survey sampling methods such as random digit dialing and address sampling and not requiring prior internet access. [cont. – PDF]
Arie Kapteyn, Erik Meijer, and Bas Weerman, RAND
See also: RAND election forecast