In one of the closest presidential elections in American history, anything and everything could have been decisive. But we’ll probably never know what really was. The letter about Hillary Clinton’s emails that the F.B.I. director James Comey sent to Congress in October 2016 is one of these potential factors. Mrs. […] Read more »
Truth, significance & probability in polling
Margin of error is simultaneously the most under- and most over-used concept in polling, in part because so many people don’t really understand it. A Democratic gubernatorial primary survey in Maryland provides an opportunity to re-engage with these issues. CONT. Mark Mellman (Mellman Group), The Hill Read more »
Add to Cart: A look at Americans’ online shopping habits & Amazon’s dominance in the digital marketplace
In this episode of Poll Hub, Pallavi Gogoi, NPR’s Chief Business Editor, joins the table to discuss the latest NPR/Marist Poll results. The just-released survey focuses on Americans’ shopping habits and the prevalence of online purchases. As the group reveals, Amazon leads the pack when it comes to online merchants, […] Read more »
Maine: Ranked-Choice Means Primary Polling Is Even Less Reliable
Polling in primary elections has always been difficult, due to typically-low voter turnout. But experts say it is even more arduous when voters are surveyed about their preferences under the new ranked-choice voting law. CONT. Mal Leary, Maine Public Read more »
Spam and Call-Blocking Apps Challenge Survey Researchers
Over the course of several decades, telephone survey response rates have declined consistently in the U.S. This decline is partly attributable to the increasing percentage of cellphone users and changes in how people interact with their devices. During this same period, the percentage of nuisance and marketing calls to cellphone […] Read more »
Pollsters sweat California elections
Pollsters are nervously awaiting California primary election results Tuesday after struggling with complications stemming from the state’s unique top-two primary system and the sheer size of the candidate fields this year. With a 27-candidate governor’s race, a Senate contest featuring 32 names, and several crowded House primaries with national implications, […] Read more »