Polls, polls, polls

Grok Headline matches for Polls, polls, polls

In the polls

In the polls 01/16/2004 11:26 AM

The Problem with Web Polls

The Problem with Web Polls 01/24/2004 10:36 PM

Gay Marriage Poll Gets Annulled: Here's a example of why Web polls are silly. The American Family Association put a poll on their Web site asking people if they were opposed to or in favor of gay marriage with ultimate plans to take the results to Congress. Of course, they assumed that with their sympathetic visitor base, they'd have great results. Sadly:

Against the wishes of the AFA and its members, the poll leaked to the outside. And soon, people like Gabe Anderson began posting it to blogs, social-networking sites such as Friendster and sundry e-mail lists. When Anderson posted it to his blog on Dec. 18, 2003, the anti-gay-marriage position was leading, with 51.45 percent of respondents opposing gay marriage or civil unions.

But with his posting, in which he alerted his readers to the poll, Anderson — and many like him — began to unleash the democratic power that the Internet promises, and which organizations like the AFA must have forgotten: the ability to bring people together to fight for, or against, a cause.

You have to wonder why the AFA would do this in the first place. Web polls are not even remotely scientific, so what results did they plan to take to Congress? Incredibly biased ones?

This reminds me of something that happened with Microsoft two years ago. There was a poll by ZDNet about which platform was better: J2EE or .Net. .Net was trailing, until...

Only 21.5 percent said they planned to use Microsoft .Net--even less than the figure (23.5 percent) planning to use neither. But by the time the poll closed, on January 5, the results had dramatically changed, with three quarters of voters claiming to be implementing .Net.

Sadly, there was a clear trail of an email campaign.

Several of the voters evidently followed a link contained in an e-mail, the subject line of which ran: "PLEASE STOP AND VOTE FOR .NET!" ZDNet logs include the Web address from where the e-mails were sent and showed that the people who followed that link all had e-mail addresses in the microsoft.com domain.

It got worse. ZDNet claimed to have proof of bots voting multiple times, and people casting multiple votes.

These things are obviously bad, but is there any problem with the email campaigns in either case? Companies put these things on the Web to get input, and can they realy complain about world-of-mouth. It's anyone's right to email anyone about something they think they'd be interested in. The problem comes when there's a tipping point and the results get irretrievably skewed.

Which leads me back to an important point: Web polls are of no use to anyone. Period.

Click here to comment on this entry

Bush down in polls

Bush down in polls 01/24/2004 11:39 PM
New poll: Bush sinking, Kerry surging Overall, 52 percent of those polled by NEWSWEEK say they would not like to see Bush serve a second term, compared to 44 percent who want to see him win again...

Polls at the poles

Polls at the poles 09/20/2004 10:42 AM
One day last week a Gallup poll had Bush up by 13 points -- and Democrats promptly broke into a panic and Republicans broke out the bubbly. But then a Pew poll called the race tied. What gives?

In the (useless?) polls

In the (useless?) polls 09/24/2004 04:10 PM
It's been said that the 2004 election would be a challenge for pollsters, and today's polls are a fine demonstration. Put simply, side by side they make little to no sense.

More fun with exit polls

More fun with exit polls 01/07/2005 12:15 AM
Salon Jan 7 2005 4:05AM GMT

Understanding polls.

Understanding polls. 04/23/2004 11:15 PM
Understanding polls. For those of us who slept through statistics.

"Fair and balanced" polls

"Fair and balanced" polls 06/25/2004 01:34 PM

Voter turn out low for PC polls

Voter turn out low for PC polls 07/10/2004 06:14 AM
TamilNet Jul 10 2004 10:26AM GMT

Who conducts the crappiest polls?

Who conducts the crappiest polls? 07/15/2004 10:31 AM
Poll MPAA versus El Reg: the Mother of all Polls

Do we have polls: Pre-convention roundup

Do we have polls: Pre-convention roundup 07/23/2004 02:52 PM

J2EE Polls Component

J2EE Polls Component 02/12/2004 03:40 PM
v2.5.1

"the polls coming out of Iraq "

"the polls coming out of Iraq " 05/15/2004 08:24 PM

Indians prepare to go to polls

Indians prepare to go to polls 04/19/2004 12:25 PM
Over 670m Indians start voting on Tuesday as the world's biggest democracy embarks on a four-week election marathon.

Hip-Hop Stars Aim to Get Fans to the
Polls (AP)

Hip-Hop Stars Aim to Get Fans to the
Polls (AP) 07/26/2004 02:21 PM
AP - When Sean "P. Diddy" Combs unveiled his get-out-the-vote initiative, it had all the elements of hot album release party. There was a DJ spinning cool songs. A "street team" of young kids wearing T-shirts promoting the cause. A few supermodels. Even an A-list celebrity face in Democratic strategist James Carville (well, A-list for political world, that is).

Australians to Go to the Polls on Oct. 9
(Reuters)

Australians to Go to the Polls on Oct. 9
(Reuters) 08/29/2004 05:15 AM
Reuters - Australians will vote on Oct. 9 in a cliff-hanger election pitting the conservative government against center-left Labor, with national security and the economy key issues, Prime Minister John Howard said on Sunday.

Schroeder unfazed by weak polls

Schroeder unfazed by weak polls 09/20/2004 02:50 PM
The German chancellor remains optimistic despite gains for the far right and ex-communists in the east.

Polls: U.S. Troops Should Remain in Iraq
(AP)

Polls: U.S. Troops Should Remain in Iraq
(AP) 03/22/2005 03:17 PM

us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http://news.yahoo.com/news? tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050320/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_iraq_opinion
track this site | 2 links

The press, the polls and Terri Schiavo

The press, the polls and Terri Schiavo 03/22/2005 04:44 PM
By a wide margin, the American public disapproves of congressional intervention in the Schiavo case.

Party leaders regroup after polls

Party leaders regroup after polls 06/15/2004 12:15 AM
Tony Blair and Michael Howard address their MPs after UKIP pushes Labour and Tories to their worst poll results for decades.

DUP polls strongly in Euro vote

DUP polls strongly in Euro vote 06/14/2004 08:20 AM
Unofficial figures suggest the DUP is polling strongly in the Euro election with Sinn Fein in second place.

Final polls close in EU elections

Final polls close in EU elections 06/13/2004 05:06 PM
Early results show setbacks for many ruling parties across the EU, and a series of disappointing turnouts.

Polls open for 'super Thursday'

Polls open for 'super Thursday' 06/10/2004 01:28 AM
Voting begins across Wales in elections for the European Parliament, county and community councils.

British voters head to the polls

British voters head to the polls 06/09/2004 06:59 PM
Britain goes to the polls on Thursday in the European, London mayoral and assembly and local elections.

Inquiry into opinion polls urged

Inquiry into opinion polls urged 05/31/2004 06:42 PM
A group of MPs is calling on the government to hold a full inquiry into the integrity and honesty of opinion polls.

New Kyrgyz leader promises polls

New Kyrgyz leader promises polls 03/25/2005 06:28 AM
An opposition leader swept to power in Kyrgyzstan by Thursday's protests promises fresh elections.

PC polls: Less interest, lacklustre
campaign

PC polls: Less interest, lacklustre
campaign 06/26/2004 06:55 PM
Sri Lanka Sunday Times Jun 26 2004 10:53PM GMT

Fox party suffers at Mexico polls

Fox party suffers at Mexico polls 07/05/2004 07:12 PM
Mexico's ruling party is dealt a blow at regional polls, while a presidential aide resigns over the role of the first lady.

Saudi to hold polls in November

Saudi to hold polls in November 08/04/2004 06:51 PM
Saudi Arabia announces it will start holding council elections in November, in what is seen as a step towards reform.

Prescott pledge on assembly polls

Prescott pledge on assembly polls 07/24/2004 05:59 PM
The deputy prime minister promises referendums for regional assemblies will go ahead despite fraud fears.

Polls: Kerry Leads Bush in Pa. and Ore.
(AP)

Polls: Kerry Leads Bush in Pa. and Ore.
(AP) 07/24/2004 04:55 AM
AP - Democrat John Kerry holds a 10-point lead over President Bush in Pennsylvania, and a slight lead in Oregon, polls released Friday said.

Ashlee Vance: The Mother of all Polls

Ashlee Vance: The Mother of all Polls 08/11/2004 05:02 AM
Poll Hero or Zero? The readers must decide

Zimbabwe polls 'will be unfair'

Zimbabwe polls 'will be unfair' 07/21/2004 10:56 AM
Catholic Archbishop Pius Ncube says he has evidence of electoral fraud ahead of next year's elections.

Cameroon polls 'will not be fair'

Cameroon polls 'will not be fair' 09/13/2004 05:18 AM
The leader of Cameroon's main opposition party calls for reforms ahead of next month's poll.

Voters head to by-election polls

Voters head to by-election polls 07/14/2004 06:49 PM
Voters in two Midlands constituencies are heading to the polls later on Thursday for by-elections.

Edwards Makes Little Difference in Polls
(AP)

Edwards Makes Little Difference in Polls
(AP) 07/11/2004 05:27 PM
AP - John Kerry's choice of John Edwards as his running mate was received favorably by the public, polls suggest, but it has made little difference so far in the race with President Bush.

Indonesian polls point to change

Indonesian polls point to change 09/17/2004 04:48 AM
Final opinion polls ahead of Indonesia's presidential election suggest Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will win.

Does the New York Times know how to read
polls?

Does the New York Times know how to read
polls? 07/07/2004 11:32 AM

AP Polls: Nations Value Immigrant
Workers (AP)

AP Polls: Nations Value Immigrant
Workers (AP) 05/26/2004 07:22 AM
AP - People in some of the world's leading industrial nations say immigrants mostly take jobs that citizens of their own countries do not want, yet they still say immigrants are a bad overall influence, Associated Press polls found.
Grok Description matches for Polls, polls, polls
GrokA matches for Polls, polls, polls

Polls, polls, polls

The following phrases have been identified by the grok system as matching this entry: