Question about pollsters and conflict of interest.

[wtmusic]

Do not pollsters make more money when when their polls show a close race?

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. No, pollsters are paid per poll, not by result

That said there are pollsters that trend one party or the other, or in a few cases plainly out work for certain causes, and that goes for both sides by the by.

[wtmusic]

2. Seems like more polling happens when a race is close, though.

If there's a rout in the making, no one cares.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Because both campaigns pay for them

and both their internal and external polls

This is what a lot of your money goes when you give money to a candidate

[Vincardog]

3. It depends who is paying for the poll. They are fairly consistent in showing the results the funders

desire.

[wtmusic]

5. So - if Gallup is being paid by news providers (networks, etc)

there would be an incentive to create a close race, even if there wasn't one?

After all, gotta keep the peeps' peepers glued to the tube.

[Vincardog]

6. Watch how they "Weight" the responses and "adjust" the outcome.

[wtmusic]

7. I guess that's what I mean.

No party would pay for a poll that consistently showed their candidate getting his ass kicked.

That means either there's a huge incentive to make it a tight race, or I don't understand the profit structure. (?)