A Consumer's Guide to the Polls
Read the ingredients before you buy.
Updated Thursday, Oct. 28, 2004, at 5:31 PM
Mason-Dixon
Publishes entire questionnaire with results: Not routinely, but Knight Ridder makes some available.
Where: Go here and click any of the links above the map. Then look in the "related links" box on the right and click "full poll results" next to the state of your choice.
Screens people out based on past failure to vote: No.
Likely voter test:They ask how likely you are to vote. If you're at least somewhat likely, you're in.
Raises these questions before asking whom you'd vote for: Whether you view each candidate favorably.
Presses undecideds to pick a candidate: Depends on what the client wants.
Average boost from pressing, last three samples:Unknown.
Disclosure of boost factor: Not published.
May weight your vote differently depending on your: Age, sex, race, education, but only if the sample is very different from previous samples in the region.
Adjusts results to fit expected party shares of electorate:No, unless the sample is very different from previous samples in the region.
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Illustration by Mark Alan Stamaty.