Political Polls

I am a Voter.  I like to Vote.  I vote every chance I get.  I guess this gives me a reputation among pollsters as a Likely Voter. This speculation is based on the number of politically-oriented phone calls I get in the weeks before an election.  They call people like me because they think we’re going to vote.  I am an unapologetic Liberal too.  Which makes the quality of many of these calls, um, Interesting.  

This election season, the bias in the questions in these polls is often funny, occasionally appalling, and sometimes inaccurate, and most of the calls I get lean way, way to the right.  Why are there no Democrats calling me yet?

Full disclosure: I am a Democrat.  Do I Always vote for Democrats? No.  Do I usually vote for Democrats? Yes.  Do I consider each candidate on the basis of individual merit, regardless of their party affiliation? To the best of my ability, yes.  Have I made my choices in the upcoming election? Not yet.  Do I lean one way or the other?  Are you even paying attention?  

Back to the phone polls.  The questions often begin by assessing my voting likelihood (Definitely Voting).  After that they might ask about my affiliations and inclinations in general or on specific subjects before moving on to my opinions about specific candidates.  My favorite style is the one that asks me who I think I’ll vote for in a particular race, then asks if claims about one of the candidates have any influence on my vote, then asks me at the end if I’ve changed my mind about how I plan to vote.  Political argument disguised as a poll. 

Last night’s phone call was one of these.  First, it referred to a Senate race in my area in which the candidates are Rep. Solomon Ortiz (D), Blake Farenthold (R), and Ed Mishou (L).  First problem: this is NOT a Senate race.  These are the candidates for U.S. House of Representatives, Texas District 27.  Um, ok.  Second problem: the poller cannot pronounce Farenthold or Mishou with any consistency and keeps referring to the incumbent as “Solomon.”   Now, don’t take this as criticism of the poller.  She was sharp and enthusiastic and friendly.  She did a decent job with the script she was provided.  The script she was provided, though, that was inaccurate and absurd.  If they are wrong about which seat these candidates are vying for, why should I trust their claims about the candidates? 

If you knew that one of the candidates (specifically named) ate puppies for breakfast, would that influence your vote? Would it make you strongly more likely, somewhat more likely, somewhat less likely, strongly less likely, or have no effect on your vote?  

If I “knew” that?  Well, if I knew that to be true, I think it would give me pause.  I would wonder why the police weren’t involved.  But since I doubt the veracity of that statement, I’d have to say it has no effect on my vote.  Please don’t attack me for supporting a puppy-eater.  

Of course, this was not one of the questions, but several of them seemed just as absurd.  So with each question, I had to assess whether I thought the statement was true, and then, if I thought it was, if that would change my vote.  I feel like I have a decent handle on the issues in this race, since I sort of pay attention to that sort of thing sometimes.  But what about a voter who isn’t paying attention?  Would that potential voter be influenced by the statements in this “poll”?  

All but two of the litany of questions included statements that might be damaging to the incumbent, with only two statements about the Republican challenger’s intentions to fight recent legislation (did you notice the bias yet?).  To be sure, some of the statements about Ortiz had some validity.  According to the Wall Street Journal in August, he was among a group of representatives questioned about the use of travel stipends.  Mixing in these bits of truth with the exaggeration, in a long phone call, with the kids needing things and the poller offering to repeat the choices, made it even harder to discern what might be my right answer.  Thank goodness the voting booth is quiet and without time limits (other than the general social pressure of a long line, perhaps, if we’re lucky enough to have a long line at the real polls, the polls that count).

All of this is a long-winded guffaw at polling.  Don’t listen to the poll numbers.  Certainly don’t let pseudo-polls like this one influence who you vote for.  Make sure you’re registered.  Read about the issues in each race.  At least a little bit.  Then go vote.  Vote with your brain and your conscience.  Just vote.  

What’s the most ridiculous question you’ve been asked or heard about in a political poll?  Put it in the comments so we can all laugh with you.  

Comments

[Cab]

Usually they call at or around dinner time/approaching bedtime/"the witching hour." So if I answer the phone at all, I usually tell them I'm putting kids to bed and hang up. Sometimes I ask them to remove my number from their lists.

I think poll results are amusing, but I'm not likely to be swayed one way or another by them. Actually they can hurt candidates, since some supporters may decide not to go vote if the polls show a large lead. Then if the race ends up close and their vote really would have mattered, it's too late.

It's sometimes difficult to assess a challenger's position. With incumbents, they have a record you can go by, but with challengers, all you have is what they've said. Maybe they're being honest, or maybe they're a politician, so it's hard to tell.

I admit to spending most of my life as an indifferent voter. I *think* I voted in the 1996 presidential election, but honestly I don't remember. I know I played "Hail to the Chief" for and shook the hand of Bill Clinton when he came to give a campaign speech at NMSU. I couldn't hear anything he said, since they put the band conveniently behind the PA speakers, but he grabbed hands (and probably other things on the women) as he went back to the limo, passing right by us.

Then I moved to Mass, and certainly in national elections, if there's a place one's vote counts for little, it's here. I only recently (since about 2006) have been more energized and now I enjoy taking my kids with me to the polls so they'll grow up knowing how important it is to vote.

So anyway, sorry, but I have no entertaining poll questions I've been asked to share. ;-)

[Eglentyne]

Just found yesterday's Texas Observer article on the perils of the poll. Funny and informative.

http://www.texasobserver.org/cover-story/polling-a-survival-guide

When pollsters call me I don't mind answering. When I had very tiny people in the house, I did NOT like answering questions, of course, because the telephone instantly turns small children into rabid attention mongers. If a parent is talking on the phone the children MUST HAVE YOUR UNDIVIDED ATTENTION NOW NOW NOW. I remember it vividly. Happily, they sort of outgrow that as their reasoning skills and bribability increase. Not that I endorse bribes. Only puppy-eaters.

Telemarketers always get heartless rejection.