• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / News / UNI professor says polling can impact voter turnout

UNI professor says polling can impact voter turnout

November 2, 2012 By O. Kay Henderson

A University of Northern Iowa professor who teaches a class about public opinion and voter behavior says voter turnout can be influenced by the daily drip of polling data. If voters see polls that indicate a close race, U-N-I professor Justin Holmes says that can “stimulate” turnout.

“If you have a poll that basically shows a tie, then voters are going to be more apt to think that their vote matters,” Holmes says. However, Holmes says partisans sometimes dismiss polls that don’t confirm their beliefs about the presidential race.

“That said, at least the major pollsters do a pretty good job when all is said and done,” Holmes says. “I don’t have any reason to believe this is anything other than a tight race right now.” Even trained poll-readers like Holmes have had a hard time keeping up with polls.

“One of the things I’ve been struck by this time really is how many polls there are,” he says. “I’ve never seen this many…and it can be a little bit daunting to try and make heads or tails of it.” Holmes dismisses the idea pollsters are “out to cook the books” to favor one candidate over another, as the polling firm’s future business depends on perceptions of its accuracy.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: News, Politics / Govt Tagged With: University of Northern Iowa

Featured Stories

Congresswoman Axne favors Biden pandemic relief plan, Hinson not ruling out a ‘yes’

DOT plow crews struggling against blizzard conditions

Death penalty proposed for specific child murder cases

Iowa delegation breaks along party lines on Trump impeachment vote

Two northeast Iowa men admit to illegally harvesting ginseng

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Iowa State-Kansas postponed

Iowa-Michigan State postponed

Fire damage to Riverfront Stadium electrical system will cost Waterloo thousands

Iowa State at Kansas State postponed

Iowa State’s Foster to miss remainder of the season

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2021 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC