topic Re: Polls in Among Friends

Polls

Imadickens — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 20:13:25 GMT

Please, do not turn this into a political debate. My question is this...I keep seeing the "polls" stating that educated, middle aged women feel like...or support...candidate, etc. However, no one has asked my opinion, yet I, and all my friends and acquaintances fall in the educated, middle aged...category, and none of us has been polled when we last spoke of it! There were easily 40 women at the get together. I understand random sampling, and my dd actually made the calls for the Marist Poll. However, there is no way of knowing that the sample group they pick is a true representation of this group. The danger is that people might see the results and decide they do not need to vote either because their candidate is leading or has no chance of winning. Hence, a flawed poll may be directing the election and by doing so, in effect picking the next president! Does anyone else find this as wrong as I do? Wrong, for many reasons!

Re: Polls

Desertdi — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 02:31:41 GMT

"Polling" is a lot more complicated than just making random phone calls

Re: Polls

sunshine 919 — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 02:32:57 GMT

@Imadickens wrote:
Please, do not turn this into a political debate. My question is this...I keep seeing the "polls" stating that educated, middle aged women feel like...or support...candidate, etc. However, no one has asked my opinion, yet I, and all my friends and acquaintances fall in the educated, middle aged...category, and none of us has been polled when we last spoke of it! There were easily 40 women at the get together. I understand random sampling, and my dd actually made the calls for the Marist Poll. However, there is no way of knowing that the sample group they pick is a true representation of this group. The danger is that people might see the results and decide they do not need to vote either because their candidate is leading or has no chance of winning. Hence, a flawed poll may be directing the election and by doing so, in effect picking the next president! Does anyone else fond this as wrong as I do? Wrong, for many reasons!

I agree, this is why people should vote no matter what the polls say. In fact listening to all the polls can be frustrating. I remember a candidate actually saying during the primaries no need to vote because it was a done deal.. People at this point pretty much know who they are voting for. Just vote.

Re: Polls

chessylady — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 02:34:38 GMT

There's an old saying that figures can lie and liars can figure. Just vote as your civic duty and ignore the polls and all the noise.

Re: Polls

KathyPet — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 02:36:16 GMT

I agree that polls can be very mis-leading and yes dissuade people from voting because they think their candidate is certain to win or cannot possibly win. I was called last week by some polling company re the presidential election. I refused to participate as it is no ones business who I am going to vote,for.

Re: Polls

Imadickens — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 02:42:31 GMT

@chessylady wrote:
There's an old saying that figures can lie and liars can figure. Just vote as your civic duty and ignore the polls and all the noise.

I've never heard that before, but I love it!

Re: Polls

Goldengate8361 — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 03:01:16 GMT

So, there are over 360 million people in the U.S. And you find it odd that you and your 40-50 friends haven't been included in a poll?? My friend, you are way off base to question the value of polls based on your personal observation. Polls are helpful and informative when professionally done.

Re: Polls

Anonymous — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 03:15:41 GMT

This post has been removed by QVC because of alluding to political candidate

Re: Polls

3suwm5 — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 05:15:20 GMT

Polls change all the time. If you watch them constantly, they won't mean anything. You might consider the trend or the swing over time, instead of each poll number.MO

When you add in the electoral college, chances of the polls being a reference point, I think are pretty slim.MO

Re: Polls

hckynut — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 05:18:19 GMT

@Imadickens wrote:
Please, do not turn this into a political debate. My question is this...I keep seeing the "polls" stating that educated, middle aged women feel like...or support...candidate, etc.

However, no one has asked my opinion, yet I, and all my friends and acquaintances fall in the educated, middle aged...category, and none of us has been polled when we last spoke of it!

There were easily 40 women at the get together. I understand random sampling, and my dd actually made the calls for the Marist Poll. However, there is no way of knowing that the sample group they pick is a true representation of this group.

The danger is that people might see the results and decide they do not need to vote either because their candidate is leading or has no chance of winning.

Hence, a flawed poll may be directing the election and by doing so, in effect picking the next president! Does anyone else fond this as wrong as I do? Wrong, for many reasons!

@Imadickens

You bet.

hckynut(john)

Re: Polls

hckynut — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 05:28:03 GMT

Just this week, 1 today, I have been called by pollsters 4 different times. This afternoon I had a state pollster come to our home.

Some calls I get are for State Elections, which are many fewer questions, and one this week was from a Super Pak. The Super had a lot more questions about the candidates/their policies, and my feeling about each candidates character.

Any time I get a call that is a poll about politics, I am all ears.

hckynut(john)

Re: Polls

Bhvbum — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 10:38:17 GMT

if you are in an important state you may get polled, otherwise probably not. The last election was a classic example of good/bad polling which ended with a big argument on one of the News stations the night of the election with many not believing the results because their polling was so skewed.

VOTE! That is the true solution. Make your voice heard. If you don't vote, your non-vote may be made for someone you didn't want.

Re: Polls

Vivian — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 10:47:26 GMT

I haven't received any questionnaires, phone calls, or emails. Good surveys require a true random sample of people, but even then a poll can give spurious results if the questions are not phrased properly. Add to that the fact that some might not answer questions exactly truthfully and you have useless information.

I'll repeat what has been written already, VOTE! That is the one poll that truly counts. Most of our ancestors came to America to enjoy its freedoms and escape countries where they had no chance for a good life. Don't make a mockery of their sacrifices, and the sacrifices of our military, by staying home on Election Day.

Re: Polls

151949 — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 12:33:08 GMT

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who will vote according to the candidate who is ahead in the polls. They want to be sure they vote for the winner. Stupid - but true.

Re: Polls

Buck-i-Nana — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 12:44:07 GMT

I have been polled. I'm in Ohio, so of course we are constantly bombarded with advertisements, robo-calls and polls. Now I don't answer any calls that I don't know the number, so if they're trying to poll me again it's not happening.

Re: Polls

151949 — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 13:12:21 GMT

Anyone who has taken a statistics class knows how easy it is to skew any poll to get the results you want.

Re: Polls

ALRATIBA — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 13:22:26 GMT

I don't ever believe or rely on any polls.

I don't get polled very often, but when I they do call, I always provide misleading answers to their questions.

Re: Polls

QVCPhobe — Sat, 17 Sep 2016 09:28:01 GMT

I follow Dan Rather on FB and his view that he does not trust polls. He looks at them more seriously after the debates and closer to the election. Polls change.

No one has contacted our household either.

Anyway for now I try very hard not to pay attention to them.

Just get out and VOTE.

Re: Polls

Hayfield — Sat, 17 Sep 2016 10:42:18 GMT

I've been polled a couple of times. I vote because it's my duty to vote and I don't pay attention to what the polls say.

Re: Polls

Nataliesgramma — Sat, 17 Sep 2016 10:42:39 GMT

I don't answer or participate in 'polls'