Gallup poll just called me

[cherish44]

And I took the call and answered their questions about the election, the economy and everything else they cared to hear about. I normally screen these calls and don't answer pollsters but damn it I am now. If they call you, take the call..we need to be heard

[cheriemedium59]

1. I am going to start answering my phone too.

[jackbenimble]

2. I was polled twice on Thursday.

Like you I used to hang up, but now I take them. I'm tired of seeing poll numbers that don't add up to what I know is happening. And in the area I live in we need all the Democrat support we can get.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Important, did they screen you as a likely voter

or a registered voter?

It changes the model

[cherish44]

7. I identified myself as a likely voter

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. That matters, since it changes the model

they are using.

When I get called I have to screen myself right out of any poling, for anybody. I am media.

But here is where it changes.

LV takes into account ONLY those who voted in the last two elections, That would be your last primary and the 2010 election. Usually things like special elections are ignored, except for ultra local politic. This takes out of the running anybody who voted in 2008, plants to vote in 2012, but did not vote in either 2010 or the primaries. Yes, they do exist.

Registered voters just goes through the rolls.

LV tend to trend Republican since they are far more disciplined in any and all elections.

[gollygee]

13. I didn't vote in the primary

Does that mean I'm not a likely voter? There wasn't much in the Democratic primary here, and I didn't feel like voting in the Republican primary, and I had a lot going on that day. I voted in the Democratic primary when it was between Obama and Clinton.

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. Depends on the model the company is using

but Gallup, it screens you out as a likely voter.

I am saying that since you did vote in 2010.

This matters since Republicans tend to vote in any and all elections, Democrats suck at GOTV in anything but the Presidential election, Not my observation, this is so well known that in California if the Rs want a new shiny, they will program the proposition for low turn out elections.

In my mind Dems need to get better about that ground game in dog catcher elections as well.

[Ketsey]

34. How can you vote in TWO primaries?

Where do you live? Where I live I can only vote in a primary when I am registered in that party. As a registered Democrat I cannot vote in any Republican primary.

[gollygee]

36. Wow, that's an interesting assumption.

I don't recall saying I voted in two primaries in the same year.

I only vote in the Democratic primary in presidential years, because the local elections where I live are for the post part decided in the Republican primary. So in other years I vote in the Republican primary, if I choose to vote in a primary at all.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

14. I Believe Gallup's Likely Model Allows For New Voters,Ergo:

Younger respondents' scores are adjusted to account for their ineligibility to vote in some or all past elections. In other words, even though the model identifies voters on the basis of past voting history, younger voters are not penalized for not being of voting age in past election years.
-- If aged 18-19, their scores are converted as follows: 1=2, 2=4, 3=5, 4+=7
-- If aged 20-21, their scores are converted as follows: 1=1, 2=3, 3=4, 4=6, 5+=7

http://www.gallup.com/poll/143372/Understanding-Gallup-Likely-Voter-Models.aspx

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. Yeah, you are correct, they do that for younger voters

I forgot that since I am out of the range for that part of the model

(I am feeling old)

[DemocratSinceBirth]

17. In Layman's Terms If You Never Missed An Election You Would Get A 10 From Gallup

If you missed an election here or there but you know where your polling place is you would get a 9.

on edit-Nobody gets excluded. Voters just get numerical values based on their likelihood to vote and those numerical values are averaged.

[nadinbrzezinski]

18. Yeah and the model also accounts for new citizens

TO A POINT. That one they are not that good.

I can't blame them.

[curlyred]

20. You could answer the poll as an older white male voting for Obama

I know is's childish, but it does give me a certain amount of pleasure to respond to telephone polls as my grumpy-old-republican-catholic next door neighbor....voting for Obama. Or as my evangelical tea party cousin...voting for Obama. I like to think I could be
pushing the republicans into spending money to retain their base instead of spending money on something else.

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. Sorry, no, I do not play those games

And I also live in a deep blue state, trust me... NEITHER campaign is spending much here.

[demwing]

26. If all it does is improve your "likely voter" status, then why not

Does ANYONE here think nadine is less likely to vote than anyone alive? I don't.

To me, it's adding an element of forced realism to the polling results. How is that a game?

[RoccoR5955]

30. When pollsters call me, and ask when the last time I voted I tell them

that I am the local election site coordinator. I have been one of the first five people to vote, in my district, in each and every election since 1995, including library and school board elections. I have worked on the old mechanical machines, and I setup the site, and help maintain the new machines during the election. The day after, I am there to break down the site, and see that the machines get to the Board of Elections.

They BETTER count me as a likely voter!

[nadinbrzezinski]

31. You are LV, don't worry.

But when you read internals for polls, pay attention to which model they are using.

[unc70]

9. I'm getting polled a lot. All LV screened

I'm getting about one a day, sometimes more. They all now have at least minimum likely voter screens: Did you vote in 2008, for whom? Level of involvement? Etc. have also been asked what time I plan to vote, and other similar things.

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. See post 7

[Esse Quam Videri]

4. Do you have caller ID?

Did it come up as Gallup? We usually don't answer calls from people we don't know. We continuously get one from "Public Interest Co". Not sure if that is a polling company or not but I will answer next time they call.

[cherish44]

8. it comes up as Gallup on my caller ID

[lonestarnot]

5. Bwwa ha ha ha. You would have been better off to just keep chewing your cornflakes.

[cherish44]

10. I chewed on my cornflakes while I answered the question :)

[lonestarnot]

24. Snort. So you will then of course be interested in the outcome of the poll.

[unc70]

6. I am getting polled 1-2 per day in NC

I don't remember being polled by Gallup, but I am getting polled almost every day recently, twice some days. Some are the nationally known public polls, lots are private ones on various sides.

Just did a RW robocall from American Future Fund. Third poll in 24 hours. I am in NC and all the polls have been on my home land line. Not a single one on my cell phone. Maybe some are smart enough to make the connection between the numbers, but I really doubt most are.

[phylny]

29. My husband is a registered Republican,

although he voted for President Obama last time and will vote a straight Democratic ticket this time. I love it when the robocalls come in for him, because I answer them

[watercolors]

19. I've had four calls from different polls, answer them!

[tblue]

21. I always take those calls and often

the pollster remarks, "Thank goodness! Finally."

[Baitball Blogger]

23. Did they identify themselves as Gallup up front?

[ffr]

25. If they call me, I will, but I haven't been polled once yet.

So add +1 to Obama for every poll result I wasn't included in.

[MineralMan]

27. I got polled a few times in 2008. Nothing this year, but I'm in

Minnesota, and all the polling money is going to the battleground states.

[Chorophyll]

28. Good job. I will too.

Actually, I live in New York, so probably won't get called. Sigh.

[slackmaster]

32. I always lie to pollsters

The only poll that matters is the one that happens on Election Day, i.e. the election.

[barbtries]

33. i did a poll recently

even though i usually never pick up if i don't recognize the number, these days i do just in case. i've also picked up on 2 robocalls from the RNC and they pitch right in with lies. i keep meaning to lay down the phone and let the tape roll out but i forget and hang up instead.

[hrmjustin]

35. I got polled twice this election season

[onethatcares]

37. well hell yeah, take the call

why should we let the rws stack the results.

I try to keep the pollsters on the line if they are from the other side as long as I can. Hell, I even ask questions and break their train of thought.

[mick063]

38. Was polled at my door front today.

An old man with a clipboard. I noticed he had Romney pamphlets.

He asked me who I would vote for President if the election were held today.

I said President Obama.

With an incredulous look on his face he said "Obama?".

I said yes and he checked his form.

He asked me about Governor and I replied Jay Inslee.

He checked his form, turned, and walked off.

Never bothered to give me a pamphlet.