for real…i have my opinions, and if the government basis data from these polls, i would like to have a say in the matter.
or what’s up with that? i write my congressmen, is that seriously all the voice we have in our country?
Normally it is done by telephone.
Like the other answerer, I was called once. I answered all the questions, but had to decline to be contacted for other polls as my wife objected.
Could polling results be skewed in Senator McCain’s favor?
Because:
-Pollsters only call people with land lines.
-Most young voters (likely Obama supporters) only use cell phones.
-Many older voter’s views are counted while young voters largely refuse to participate in polls.
To tell you the truth, I’ve been called by pollsters more than once and I can tell you that I always told a lie if the question didn’t suit me.
So, to those who relies strictly on polls, you are making a HUMONGOUS mistake.
It seems to me that the media is using poll numbers to exclude the candidates who are not drawing large numbers according to their polls. In other words, they are widdling down the field and it isn’t their right to do that. Especially considering that so many people carry cell phones and are not going to be called to answer the polls. Then, when I consider that so many people have made it a point to put their home phone numbers on no call list, I can’t help believing that the majority of American voters are never call to answer a phone poll. Should American voters be doing something to force the major media outlets to stop intruding into the Presidential campains by eliminating candidates due to polling numbers?
Ok mild. I’ll have to take your word for that. But what about the fact that so many people don’t even have home phone numbers today, due to cell phones. And do the pollsters call the people who have internet phones, such as Vonage?
Did God himself come down to earth and tell you that Disneyland? How do you know that? And please don’t tell me that Hannity told you. He is hardly an unbiased source.
I find it interesting that none of you have bothered to touch the issue of the major media outlets, who eliminate candidates due to poll numbers, are overstepping their bounds. Shall I remind you that if polls had any validity, Howard Dean would have won Iowa in the last election?
Gd2cook, Good point. I was watching Tim Russert this morning. I consider him to be a good journalist. And he kept quoting poll numbers. That allowed him to only mention the 3 top runner, according to the polls, on the Democratic side, and the 4 top runners, according to the polls, on the Republican side. Neither he nor his guest panel mentioned the other candidates at all. That is not good journalism. Especially when one considers that the polls can be so wrong.
Hi,if America is the same has the UK Media then I take no notice of them.
I am doing this for a government class. The polls must include +/- factors and an analysis of different demographics. Any websites would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.
here it is – national and state polls – daily and weekly
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/democratic_primaries.html
A really large problem with this country is a huge number of voters look to the polls to see who is most favored by other people and they vote for the most popular person.
I say lets get rid of that. Lets make those political polls illegal so people would have to vote without knowing how popular a candidate is in this or another region.
This is pure academic question: What do you think?
folks purely academic questions don’t need to be possible. If it was possible would you support it?
The First Amendment….bottom line…
1. Underground oil tank or an old septic system.
Environmental issues can muck up a deal, especially in states with strict regulations. Underground oil tanks were popular in the Northeast at one time but are now considered a hazard because of potential leaks. Typically real estate agents suggest sellers remove tanks before putting the home on the market.
Septic regulations vary by municipality and some states such as Massachusetts require a system be inspected and meet strict standards before the home is sold. The repair or replacement can be expensive and time consuming so sellers should get the necessary approvals ahead of time. However, they should follow the timelines and dates required by their state and/or municipality.
2. A change in the terms of a mortgage.
Suddenly payments on a 15-year mortgage seem too high or high fees offset a low interest rate. Changing terms can restart the clock and delay a deal. By law, a lender is required to provide a good faith estimate of fees and rates within three days of receiving a mortgage application. Even if they are only being prequalified for a mortgage, potential buyers should ask for a good faith estimate so they understand fees and rates.
3. The lender is unknown to the real estate agents.
Delays in approvals, last minute changes in terms can snag a deal. Experienced agents at http://www.welcome2ky.com suggest having the buyers be pre-approved by a second lender, one both real estate agents work with and know can complete the work in a timely fashion. Then if a glitch comes up there will be a fall back.
4. Phone calls or e-mails are not returned.
Good communication speeds negotiations. When title companies don’t respond or when an agent dodges calls, it can slow down the process or be an indication of a brewing problem. Although there is no absolute solution, the best precaution is to be proactive.
If the seller is a bank, or the owner needs the bank’s approval (because the home is selling for less than the mortgage), the process can take much longer than a typical sale, and there is little real estate agents or buyers can do to hurry the process.
5. A property disclosure statement was left unsigned.
When buying Lexington real estate, The property disclosure informs buyers about any known problems or defects of the property and explains what sellers have done to repair or resolve them. The price offered by buyers should take the disclosure into account. Experienced real estate agents won’t allow sellers to agree to an offer until the buyer signs the statement.
I am aware of the fact that I live in Texas, and that political polling, at least concerning my state, is very unnecessary being as we are red to the core. However, there is a myriad of national polls out there – the president’s approval rating, presidential candidate’s standings, and things like that.
Where are these numbers coming from? Random phone calls? Is there actually a list of people that they ask? I want to be on that list. How does this all work and how can I be a part of it?
Joe, No, sorry. no way you can volunteer to be polled. The best and most scientific polls are conducted by professional pollsters. They use either in-person polling, or telephone polling. The networks and newspapers also use "exit-polling" on election day, to ask voters coming OUT of the polling places questions, and get a feeling for how the people are feeling, and who they are voting for.
Almost no responsible polling company just uses "random" telephone polls anymore. No telling who they are calling, or who is answering the phone. Most big cities now have a huge number of people who don’t even list their telephone number in the phone books anymore. Either they don’t want any salesmen, or random callers to bother them; or, they now have cellular phones, so it is very very difficult to poll them today.
No poll is completely accurate. The best the polling companies can do is get a statistical "profile" that is weighted to insure the returns are the same percentages as the voting population (race, gender, age, social position, economic class, political party membership, etc. ) If they are VERY good pollsters, they can get a theoretical idea with several hundred telephone calls, for example, with a statistical "margin of error" of plus-or-minus 2 to 4 percent. Major companies can get pretty accurate with about 600 or so responses, as long as they ask the right questions, and get honest answers.
Also, they need to differentiate between ordinary adults over 18, and those who are 1.) citizens 2.) registered to vote and 3.) likely to vote, and 4.) know who is running and who they are likely to vote for (or are legitimately "undecided").
There are several good books on polling and methodology and demographics and statistics. Several are easy to read and understand. Check with your local library for where to begin.
But, I can tell you that if you get a random telephone call today, with someone claiming to be a pollster, and wanting to ask questions, there is a very good chance that 1.) they are polling not for politics, but rather for commercial products and household items. 2.) they might be from one of the candidates or parties, or a political organization; they SAY they are conducting a poll. In fact, these are what are called "push-polls", where they ask questions, but they are worded in such a way as to get the response they want from the voter; they don’t care what your opinion is–they want to TELL you, not ASK you what it should be, or who you should vote for.
I have been polled three times by phone. Only once was a legitimate political pollster. One was publicizing a local radio station; another was trying to influence your vote for a state proposition on the ballot. A third was (as far as I can tell), legitimate, and really asking legitimate questions. One other idiot said they were conducting a poll, but they were calling from North Carolina, and I live in California, and they woke me before 8 a.m. on my day off. No legitimate pollster would do that.
So, good luck. Maybe someday you will get a call. but the chances are sometimes one in a million. You never can tell.
Have you noticed that you can no longer discuss political news stories posted on Yahoo? I figure someone high up in government doesn’t like the free exchange of ideas that may clash with government policies. They probably don’t want soldiers in Afghanistan reading anti-war messages.
They probably stopped it because one person in BFE complained. That’s all it takes for Yahoo.
Nationally, how are the Democrats and Republicans projected to do in the Senate and House races?
in the senate:
dems: 55
repubs: 40
independants: 2
undecided races too close to call yet: 3
the dems will probably get oregon, alaska
repubs: Georgia
the 2 indies tend to vote along dem party lines
house of reps:
dems 256
repubs 174
November 7 is coming up quickly. Democrats since 2000 have been going to the courts when they lose races to get them to overturn the will of the voters. How many races do you think will end up in the courts this time around?
A Liberal once told me this… "If they (states) refuse to count the votes of the dead or the votes of illegal aliens, or of convicted felons then we will go to court and demand they do".