Why you should not trust polls

DVCBELLE

Princess at Heart
Joined
Aug 1, 2006
Messages
2,262
The other night my phone rang and my 7 year old answered it. She yelled to me: mom its a survey. We were rushing around the house trying to get out the door and I told her to tell them no thank you. The next thing I realize is that she is answering the survey questions. So I hear her say "Yes" "yes" "No" I go over to get the phone and it is a computer thanking me for taking the poll and that results would be on their website. It was a polling place I had heard of but I can't remember which one as I was so dumbfounded that my 7 year old had just taken the survey. So I asked her what the questions were:

Are you likely to vote in the next election?
Are you likely to vote for John McCain?
Are you likely to vote for Barack Obama?

Now, my husband and I are very politically involved so she answered as either my husband or I would have answered but it just scares me that these polls are set up so that whoever answers the phone can answer them that easily!
 
That's why you have a margin of error.
 
"Margin of error"

What an odd name for a kid. Do you call her Margie?













I kid!
 
The only polls that count are the ones on November 4th.
 

Oh - I know that is what the margin of error is for but I had always thought a human did those polls. We were just flabbergasted that she answered!
 
I saw an analysis today that showed that every pre-election poll since 1980 except 2004 was wrong in significant ways. They all showed more support for Democrats than election day results.
Bob
 
My husband got a call for an Ohio push poll.

We live in Maryland. They called us on a Maryland number. Even when we told them that, they insisted on continuing the poll.:confused3
 


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