Where and how are political opinion polls taken?

Question

In all my years of being a voter and even before then, I've never been polled on how I perceive the job our leaders are doing. I don't consider myself young anymore as I'll turn 40 later this year. So, where do they find the people they poll?

Cut the Crap - you didn't answer the question. In no way is this question directed at one party or poltical belief.

If you can get over yourself and answer, maybe you'll gain my respect.

Answer 1

Does it really matter? Most polls are wrong.

Answer 2

My University ran some. As part of our Poli Sci credits we had to volunteer, doing random cold calls close to election time from a call center... back in the days before the do not call lists. I get phone calls now about every 6 months asking me how I feel about the Pres, and my local politicians - and the calls always come from my party.

Some are done by publications, some by think tanks, some by campaigns, Universities - there are a variety of sources. And, depending on how a question is phrased, can make all the difference in the numbers. That's why its such a terrible idea to use polls as a gauge.

Answer 3

A lot of polls are done online, on the telephone, surveys, etc. Since you cannot get the whole population to answer questions or count everyone in the whole population, the poll sample areas. While most staticians try to use simple random sample, which is an attempt to randomly, without bias, get a diverse background of subjects. Sometimes this does not work and the polls are done in just one area or if it is an online poll it might just be who goes to abc, fox, nbc etc. websites. The online polls are very bias because it isn't a variety of people, which is usually what most polls on the news are. To find out if a poll is a correct distrubtion of the whole population you can listen to where the news got there polls or try to look up the information online.

Answer 4

Me either except the NRA has polled me about gun control opinions once, thats it though.

Thats like the Nielson ratings. I got a call from them once but I was at work and they wouldnt let me do the poll... damn I really wanted to too.

Well most are done locally, which means you are goin to get polls taken from California, Chicago, New York etc.. you know the lib hot spots. Generally by phone, but sometimes they have market research people taking surveys in malls and stuff like that.

Answer 5

THAT is the question of The Day!------------the polls reported by the news media but be either taken at the water fountains of the news rooms or at far left leaning liberalized universities.
There is no way the heart and soul of Americans leans as far left as the polls indicate.------the news media is biased and jumps on the band wagon at every conceivable opportunity to subvert world opinion----and that includes bent and twisted poll results.

Answer 6

Many are subcontracted through the Nelsen system.

But most quick polls use the 1750 bell curve model

Answer 7

Why did you lie and say the freedom fighters moved west to Rovian Country a long time ago?

You asked "how" are you being hateful. Well, you couldnt answer the question. You just slandered like the conseravtive man ruled by his wife like the armchair stereotype you are.

Why bother making the hateful conservative reactionaries look bad anyway?

Answer 8

I just replied to an online poll called POLLINGPOINT. I was bored enough to take it and still bored after wards Most of them are biased towards whomever is paying the bill.

Answer 9

Democrats get in a room, get a list of Democratic voters, and call 900 on the list.

Then they publish these "polls" as if they speak for the 30 million people in the U.s.

Answer 10

Well if your a liberal pollster you go to the Village in NYC or S.F.

If you are a conservative pollster you go to Texas, Tennessee,Georgia, Ohio, Indiana,etc.

You get the idea