Readers speak out on political polling

As this roller coaster ride of a presidential election season nears its final weeks, everyone’s eyes are on the polls. No matter which side of the aisle you find yourself, political polls are celebrated, touted and even feared. But just who is being polled?

 

In the past, political polls were primarily conducted by phone. In a Pew Research Center report, (pewrsr.ch/3ACl0ba) the organization notes that methods are changing, combining live phone surveys with online survey requests.

 

But the higher percentages still lean towards using phone calls. As one cable news pundit asked, “Who is answering unknown numbers on their phones anymore?”

 

And so, who is answering these phone polls? Do you answer unknown numbers on your phone or are you a “screener?” 

 

Comments: Tell us if you think political polls are valid or flawed. Why?

 

To read all the comments for this and past surveys, go online to bit.ly/45vehL9.

 

• Flawed. Very few people have hard-wired lines and most people with cell phones never pick up “unknown” callers. And 18-30-year-old people barely pickup anyone who rings them!

• Flawed. Only boomers participate in political polls.

• Flawed. Sample panel is flawed.

• No, they are not valid. It’s like all other misinformation floating around. All parties are going to skew the numbers in their favor. I have zero confidence in polls.

• Useless! No one answers unknown callers on landline or cell. I pay no attention to the polls any longer.

• Some are valid. Some are flawed. It depends on the organization doing the poll. Even well-conducted polls are only good for a moment in time, as voters are fickle and a breaking news story can change how they vote.