The polling industry is seeking to regain public confidence after the 2016 election. Will the advent of live polling, like what's being done by The Upshot at The New York Times, rejuvenate enthusiasm or trust in poll results? What about the Political Atlas and its incorporation of opinions expressed on social media?
Mid-term elections can be particularly tricky. Gauging the pulse of the electorate to get a picture of the make-up of Congress after Election Day is a grueling, state-by-state endeavor. It's only made more difficult by the relatively scarce polling on some races.
And those recorded prompts may be annoying to hear when you pick up the phone. But there's evidence they can produce more accurate results than polls done by real people. It may be easier, it seems, to be honest when you're not speaking to a human being. But not always.
What polling methods work best? What's their limitations?
GUESTS:
- Jennifer Dineen - Program Director, Graduate Program in Survey Research, UConn Department of Public Policy (JNecciDineen)
- Mallory Newall - Public Polling Research Director, Ipsos Public Affairs, which launched the 2018 Political Atlas with the University of Virginia Center for Politics (@mallorycate)
Colin McEnroe, Betsy Kaplan, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.