Experts say dark days ahead for the polling industry
Posted Aug 22, 2015 08:10:24 AM.
Last Updated Aug 22, 2015 08:15:40 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Statisticians and other polling experts say the polling industry is going through dark days.
Less and less people are willing to participate in polls and citizens are increasingly ditching their landlines for cell phones making traditional polling more difficult and expensive.
Andrea Perrella, Director of the Laurier Institute for the Study of Public Opinion and Policy, says the proliferation of polling companies using various methodologies is causing a wild west atmosphere.
He says citizens and journalists should focus on polls from reputable companies and ensure that the sample sizes used to conduct surveys is large and representative.
Craig Worden, with polling firm Pollara Strategic Insights, says the fact so many polls have come out this early in the federal election campaign is ludicrous.
Worden says citizens aren’t yet fully engaged in the campaign.
He warns that survey results could change dramatically between now and election day on October 19th.
