Understanding and Using Public Policy Polling Data

Karen Shanton

National Conference of State Legislatures

Source: Real Clear Politics

Obama

Romney

10 percent do not have the ID they would need

to vote

10 percent say they do not have the ID they would need to vote

10 percent say they do not have the ID they would need to vote

x percent say z

Source: Reuters

Source: FairVote

Source: FairVote

Registered Voters

Eligible Voters

Source: FairVote

Eligible Voters

Eligible Voters

13.5%

x percent of y say z

Source: Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service

x percent of a sample of y say z

40%

n=50

+/-14%

60%

26%

74%

46% 54%

Source: American Association for Public Opinion Research

*Assumes 95% confidence interval for populations of 10,000 or more

Source: Food Network

Source: Makebetterfood.com

Source: Food Network Source: Makebetterfood.com

Option 1 Option 2

Source: Amazon.com

x percent of a sample of y say z

Question 1

WHO was asked?

Source: Roper Center

x percent of a sample of y say z

at time t

Question 2

WHEN were they asked?

Homosexuals Gay Men & Lesbians

Do you favor or oppose ____ serving openly in the military?

44%

58%

44%

Source: CBS News/ New York Times Poll

58%

43%

Source: CBS News/ New York Times Poll

79%

Question 3

HOW were they asked?

x percent say z

x percent of a sample of y say z

at time t when asked q

10 percent say they do not have the ID they would need to vote

10 percent say they do not have the ID they would need to vote

Between 6 and 10 percent of voting age Americans say that they do not have a driver’s license or state issued non-driver’s photo

ID today

Between 6 and 10 percent of voting age Americans say that they do not have a driver’s license or state issued non-driver’s photo

ID today

Between 6 and 10 percent of voting age Americans say that they do not have a driver’s license or state issued non-driver’s photo

ID today

Between 6 and 10 percent of voting age Americans say that they do not have a driver’s license or state issued non-driver’s photo

ID today

1. Who was asked?

2. When were they asked?

3. How were they asked?

1. Who was asked?

2. When were they asked?

3. How were they asked?

What do you want to know?

"There are lies, damned

lies and statistics."