Inside the Political Polling Machine

The U.S. currently uses the same type of public-opinion poll to measure attitudes about democracy as it did during the Great Depression. New Yorker staff writer Jill Lepore discusses why the influence of political polls has been increasing, while their effectiveness has been in decline. Her latest article is "Politics and the New Machine." 

The surprising origins, and strange influence, of the word "poll" https://t.co/KukiPZ9brZ

— Leonard Lopate (@LeonardLopate) November 17, 2015

OK I'll tell you: a poll used to mean the top of a person's head. That's how people were counted during the voting days of yore.

— Leonard Lopate (@LeonardLopate) November 17, 2015

#TIL The original Gallup just wanted to help sell more newspapers https://t.co/KukiPZ9brZ

— Leonard Lopate (@LeonardLopate) November 17, 2015

Public opinion polls these days can have a response rate of 3-4%. In the 1930s it was in 90%+ https://t.co/KukiPZ9brZ

— Leonard Lopate (@LeonardLopate) November 17, 2015

People who still have landlines tend to be older and more conservative. This makes a difference when conducting political polls.

— Leonard Lopate (@LeonardLopate) November 17, 2015