Political Polling: Strategic Information in Campaigns (Campaigning American Style Series)

Polling is crucial to the success of political campaigns. Professor and pollster Jeffrey M. Stonecash combines 17 years of practical polling experience with academic theory to show how and why polling is done and how information can be used to help win elections. Chock full of examples, survey questions, sample selections, calling scripts, and other elements of successful polls, the volume emphasizes interpreting information to move voters to support a candidate. The focus is on understanding the context of an election, the situation of a candidate, and the role of issues. Objectivity of the pollster and campaign ethics are hallmarks of Stonecash's recommendations. The book concludes with an invaluable appendix offering a sample report on a poll conducted for a District Attorney candidate. Campaigns, Democracy, And The Need For Information -- Purposes, Limited Budgets, And When To Poll -- What Kind Of Poll? -- Writing Questions: Language And The Script -- Pulling A Sample: Who Votes, Sample Size, And Representativeness -- Callers And Calling -- The Crucial Part: Analysis And Developing A Campaign Plan -- Reports And Recommendations -- Tracking Polls And The Undecided -- A Final Note On Polling And Democracy. Jeffrey M. Stonecash. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 161-166) And Index. Polling is crucial to the success of political campaigns. This work shows how and why polling is done and how information can be used to help win elections. It emphasizes interpreting information to move voters to support a candidate, and includes calling scripts, sample selections, and surveys.