Pretty soon, the country’s top pollsters will make a subtle change that even some political junkies won’t process: They will shift from reporting results of registered voters to only those most likely to vote in the 2014 election — a.k.a. “likely voters.”
For those who follow polling closely the distinction between the two is key to understanding the true state of play in a race. It’s also likely to cause an apparent shift — almost certainly in the GOP’s favor — that some will misinterpret as newfound momentum.
So what’s the deal with the switch? And when does it happen? Below, we explain it all. CONT.
Peyton Craighill & Scott Clement, Washington Post