Polling Sites, FAQs and More

by DemFromCT

Two of my favorite polling blogs, Mystery Pollster and Political Arithmetik have combined forces to offer a new and improved polling site. Mystery Pollster's readers will now be directed to the new Pollster.com, whereas Charles Frankin will keep his gig at Political Arithmetik going. The graphics just got significantly better! For example, here is the CT senate race. They are apparently planning a co-operative venture with Slate for the November election.

This is a poll summary site with interpretation as well (so is Political Arithmetik) and there are other summary sites many of us use to keep up. Two of my personal favorites are TPM Election Central and RCP (and you'd do well to browse their right-leaning commentary for a well-rounded education), as well as the Polling Report, which has a subscription section for state polls, and a wide variety of  summaries of direction of the country, national priorities, etc.

If you have favorite polling sites, summary or interpretive, share them with us. And take the time to read the NY Times Reader's Guide To Polls, especially their bit on intensity.

Intensity How strongly people feel about an issue may be the most important source of poll misunderstanding. In survey after survey, half the respondents favor stronger gun controls — but don’t care nearly as much as the 10 percent who want them relaxed.

Finally, here's the 20 Questions A Journalist Should Ask About Poll Results from the National Council On Public Polls. Many journalists haven't read it, so take advantage and educate yourselves prior to the election.

Remember, polls are a snapshot, not a prediction. But they are very informative when put in context, and they sure are fun to review when they go your way.

Comments

[John Casper]

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
IMHO, well done graphics are key to making polling numbers accessible, because it is easier to see the trends.

[Mimikatz]

In addition to the polling sites, the House and Senate races are regularly updated at MyDD, complete with updated poll results, as well as at the usual sites such as the Cook Report and National Journal.

[JohnLopresti]

One of my favorite polls by the Field organization appeared in May 2006 in Sacramento; it showed Bush was disapproved, and compared that nadir to a panoply of modern presidents. The Field director, Mark DiCamillo, usually has an interesting discussion with his polls.

On the graphic you published in your diary, I doubt the Republican will emerge so low in the percentages in November.

[DemFromCT]

JohnLopresti, never overestimate Alan Schlesinger. He makes Alan Keyes look like a strategic genius.

[emptypockets]

fantastic graphic from pollster. I love it.

rumors fly that http://www.electoral-vote.com/ will relaunch after labor day (well, not so much a rumor, as a hint on that site's front page). They did a great job tracking state by state presidential polls in 2004.

[janinsanfran]

The NYT link leads to RCP -- not I suspect what you intended.

[DemFromCT]

fixed, thanks!!

[DemFromCT]

emptypockets, they had a bit of a "last post counts most" mentality, which I didn't care for, but it was a good site.

I also forgot to mention Prof. Pollkatz.