How Political Polls Work
Polls capture how a small sample of people feel at a specific moment in time.
The Big Story
More election polls are starting to appear as media companies, universities, and political groups ask voters how they feel about candidates, major issues, and the direction we are headed as a country.
Polls are small surveys done online, in person, by phone, or text to measure public opinion.
The Two Spins
From the Left
View polls as useful tools for tracking public opinion and voter concerns.
Use polling data when discussing voter concerns and major issues.
From the Right
Say some polls may miss rural, working-class, or low-response voters.
Polling results vary depending on voter participants and survey methods.
What This Means for Us
Polls survey a small number of people, and results change quickly based on headlines, current events, and which voters respond.
Since polls are shared heavily online, on TV, and across social media, they often influence how we view candidates and election trends.
How They Make Money
Gallup
Gallup helped popularize modern presidential polling after correctly predicting major elections in the 1930s.
Today, the company earns most of its money from workplace consulting and public opinion research used by businesses, governments, and media organizations.
Takeaway
Public opinion shifts quickly depending on the news and headlines people see most often.
The Number That Stuck With Me
1,000
Some national presidential polls survey around 1,000 to 2,000 voters to estimate opinions across the entire country.
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