Democrats and Networks Are at Odds Over Polling

[Whoa_Nelly]

DES MOINES, Jan. 14 — Officials of the Democratic presidential campaigns and the Iowa Democratic Party say they are worried that the major television networks will unduly influence next Monday's caucuses by reporting poll results before the voting is over.

At issue are polls, conducted jointly by the networks and The Associated Press, of voters entering the caucuses. In letters to the networks this week, the state party asked that they not report any of the results until at least a half-hour after the deliberative voting process starts at 7 p.m., Central time.

But network executives said in interviews that they would not promise to delay reporting such early data, although, they added, they will avoid declaring winners until receiving some results of actual voting.

<snip>
Party officials in Iowa have raised concerns about these "entrance polls" for decades. But they are voicing all the more concern now, saying that the close nature of the race here leaves more room for polling inaccuracies and that increased use of gadgets like portable e-mail devices and cellphones makes it easier for news of early polling to spread through caucus sites, some of which will have televisions, too.

more...
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/15/politics/campaigns/15POLL.html

[olacan]

1. As

I recall this was also an issue in Fla. back in 2000, with early reporting. The polls were still open in the panhandle when the network made their first winning call. We will never know how much that influenced the mess that followed. I would like to see the networks not do any projections of winners until all polls across the nation are closed. I know that means that we would need to wait until Hawaii is finished. But so what it is not as if it is that much time, this age of instant information is both a good thing and at times a bad thing. How many times has there been breaking news and then when the dust settles the true story is not as first thought.

[bushisanidiot]

2. If That Call Negatively Affected Anyone, It Was Gore

for instance, if the state had already been called for Gore then people on the way to the polls who were going to vote for him would have thought, "why bother? we won!"

whereas an AWOL supporter would have gone to vote and hope that late voting yet to be tallied would push the state to the dimwit.

buncha whining crying repuke babies!!

[DUreader]

3. Yes, yet more proof that Gore won and W* deserves his asterisk

}

[Journeyman]

4. Early polls damage more than a single race, too. . .

In 1984, when Reagan was declared the winner hours before polls closed on the West Coast, many people chose not to vote in California, which adversely impacted scores of local and statewide contests. Frankly, I don't see why Election Day Polls are permitted. We are all in the process of conducting the only poll that truly matters, our votes, so to make speculative calls while voting is in progress seems counterproductive to democracy.

[bearfartinthewoods]

5. i'm with ya there

if it weren't for the freedom of speech, i'd make it illegal to conduct or publish polls for 72hrs before the election.

[Bandit]

6. For the entire history of "Exit Polling" they have never been wrong

Except in Florida in 2000. :crazy: I find it quite ingenious of Republicans to say they didn't vote because of exit polls. There were more than Presidents to vote for. Are you suggesting Republicans have no civic responsibility other than Presidential Elections?

[Foswia]

7. heh

No. Those who whined were prolly flown in from the hill.