QUICK POLL: Should we permit members to post exit polls on DU?

[Skinner]

Poll question: QUICK POLL: Should we permit members to post exit polls on DU?

We have posted a few announcements telling members not to post exit polls. We have been doing this because 1) exit polls are notoriously unreliable, and 2) exit polls are often used to suppress voter turn-out by making people feel that there is nothing they can do to change the outcome.

On the other hand, this is a website for people who are very well informed and enthusiastic about politics, so it is likely that most visitors to DU would vote anyway, regardless of what the exit polls say.

After deleting dozens of exit poll threads, we're wondering if we should just go with the flow and let members post whatever they want.

So, we've decided to ask you to decide: Should we allow exit polls to be posted on DU?

[WilliamPitt]

1. No

[leftyandproud]

64. yes damnit!!! *NT*

[Worst Username Ever]

2. I would say no.

[Guaranteed]

3. I can't imagine anyone on DU not voting. nt

[fishwax]

40. but there are lurkers

who read but don't post and might not be as active as those who post. Or maybe not, I'm just throwing it out there.

[wellstone_democrat]

4. No. If we want them, we can find 'em---many seem to be posted by

relatively new people. My concern is the potential to have them viewed on a site with Democratic in the name as decisive despite disclaimers and thereby depressing turn out.

clarify subject line

[high density]

5. People know where to get them if they want to read them

I see no reason for having dozens of threads being made about the same exit poll numbers.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

9. yes. just direct them. nt

[KittyWampus]

6. Thank You For Asking.

[Steelangel]

7. No!

as you said, 'notoriously unreliable'. that's why.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

8. They Are Everywhere But I Understand Why You Don't Want Them Here....

Let's not jinx things...

We waited four long years we can wait four or five more hours...

Go Kerry

Go Dems

I love you all...

[RT Atlanta]

10. Not sure...

I have already been guilty of it twice today, not out of a desire to break the rules, but purely from exuberance about (hopefully!) seeing that JUNTA go down in flames today.

This doesnt help your poll, but there is a little of the "why" behind it.

Thanks again for all of your work today and each and every day Skinner!

RT

[Mr_Spock]

11. People at DU want hard numbers so we don't get jerked around

I just want the facts - no surprises like FLORIDA this time!!!

[durablend]

12. NO!

[LuminousX]

13. Let them post links to it, but for some of us, we don't want to know

AS another member said... this isn't a sporting event and we shouldn't treat it like one.

[Phillycat]

14. Yes, allow them. I want something, anything! I can't just sit here.

It's not like it's going to supress voting ON DU. That's insane.

[DrWeird]

15. possible suggestion.

How about you allow exit polls from states that are solidly red or blue like Mass. or Texas. And possible exit polls from swing states on the condition that they show leads as substantial as those from the "solid" states.

[ferme ta bush]

16. Posting Exit Polls

We're going to find it somewhere else, so why divert traffic from the site.
Perhaps state a disclaimer with each post. But you're right, we're all astute about these things and can discern between the BS.

[matcom]

17. not till after 6:00pm EST

by then this MAY be over

[Guaranteed]

22. I agree...give it a few more hours. nt

[Blue_Roses]

41. I agree--wait till some of the results start coming in

I think early exit polling is what got Florida yanked back in the "undecided" category last time. I say never give Karl Rove an opportunity to steal this thing;)

[ieoeja]

Make that state-by-state.

No exit poll from any state wherein the polls have not yet closed. So that would be 7p CST for Illinois.

Okay, like we need an exit poll to figure out how Illinois is going to go.

[eataTREE]

18. I have officially become sick of polls.

Right up until today, I wanted to hear every poll in excruciating detail. But not today. The time for polls is done. There's only one poll that matters now, and it's being held at your local electoral precinct. We will know the results of that poll soon enough.

[Pabst Blue Democrat]

19. If YES

then can I suggest an offical thread to post them in, so that the board will not be overrun?

[mzmolly]

20. Yes, were able to handle the "truth" and we will get info elsewhere

if need be.

PS. The poll said I voted and I did not? :shrug:

[chiburb]

21. No. Especially, early exit polls are notoriously inaccurate!!!

Don't want ANY false sense of security, and besides... Left Coast DUers should be respected too!

[Wat_Tyler]

23. We know where to get them if we need them.

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

24. I personally don't think ANY kind of results

should be posted before ALL polls close across the U.S. I'm not just talking about DU here - I think all of the early results are just one more aspect of a voting system that is completely f'd up.

[Goldmund]

25. Though I completely agree with the principle, I voted "yes"

I'm totally with you as far as your rationale for not posting exit polls. But DU is far from being an air-tight environment, and people will find these polls if they look for them; furthermore, since they're looking good for us, understandably, people are itching to post them and are "hinting" at them all over the place. So in the end, it feels kinda artificial that we can't post them, though most of us know what they are anyway.

[Walt Starr]

26. This is what I LOVE about DU, the DEMOCRACY IN ACTION!!!

I'd say, exit poll results once the polls close completely in a state would be okay.

[blondeatlast]

27. No. nt

[PROGRESSIVE1]

28. Non, Nigh, Nyet!!!!

NO!

Skinner, I ask that you do not allow them up until the polls start to close.

We are still voting. I want everyone to vote. I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea and let these exit polls influence their votes.

Please, GOTV!!!!

:dem:

[bigfishsmallpond]

29. no

[Spider Jerusalem]

30. No.

[sonicx]

31. NO, anyone's who's been to other librul areas of the Internets...

can find em easily

[salvorhardin]

32. I understand the reasoning

It makes sense. If anyone cares I have set up an exit polls mailing list. Details here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1276699&mesg_id=1276699

Apparently not many people really care as I only have 7 subsrcibers so far and no one has posted anything.

[mourningdove92]

33. I say, trust the Mods on this one.

They have worked hard for us all, and if this is what they believe is right, I have no problem with that.

[fishwax]

45. Well said n/t

[Jacobin]

63. I'm with you

They have done a fantastic job of creating a great place to watch and discuss the election. I defer to the mods on this issue.

[AspenRose]

34. Don't do it, Skinner

(Awfully considerate of you to take a poll, though...aren't you guys busy enough as it is?)

[Amaya]

35. No

[Hamlette]

36. we'll be finding them on our own and might want to discuss them

(for moral support if they are bad)

[Dancing_Dave]

42. Right on!

How the media USE these things today is a key issue we will have to address.

[Dancing_Dave]

37. Censorship just isn't DEMOCRATIC!

So I say YES, allow them without censorship, even though I wouldn't post them, or attach much significance to them.

Another point is that we can't even subject the media's use of these damn things to critical scrutiny, if the media pieces in question are censored from the get go!

Let Democracy and Free Speech function at DU!

[Mr X]

38. No

[genius]

39. My vote here didn't go through

I want to be prepared so I'm saying yes. Though I don't know how accurate these things are.

[Catfight]

43. Can you at least direct DU'rs to a site with exit polls posted? nt

[54anickel]

47. I second that request! n/t

[sonicx]

49. K - O - S

is that too much? too little? ;)

[sr_pacifica]

44. No, they are unreliable and it will only make for more traffic problems

on the site. Let's keep it open for more useful information.

[Democat]

46. How about allowing links to other sites with the polls, but no numbers?

That would be a possible compromise.

[votedemocratic]

51. Allow links to exit polls but apply rule that an exit poll is included

in the link.

[4_Legs_Good]

48. We're gonna be tempted to go to Drudge if we don't see them here

plus I dont' think it's gonna keep any of *us* from voting.

and the tension might end up killing several of us.

david

[Mr_Spock]

53. Be a fool - go support that Repuke Sludge

:eyes:

[4_Legs_Good]

60. I don't want to support him, but DAMN I can't stand the tension

I'm just sayin' we're gonna be TEMPTED to go.

I won't go, but I'll still be tempted.

david

[Mr_Spock]

73. You're gonna feel like shit if you are misled AGAIN

Please do yourself a favor and go do some laundry or clean your house or something!! I am at work so I got stuff to do (now if I can only get away from this 'puter - hehe)

[LTRS]

50. Yes!

DU'ers are die hards. Nothing is going to stop them from voting, and you can just go get them elsewhere anyway.

[Czolgosz]

52. No, but we should let people post threads that begin "SOME SAY hope is

beating fear 52-48 in Ohio!"

[MsTryska]

Yes. PLEASE! I'm stuck in my cube, and i was actually

counting on y'all to give me the blow by blow.

so needless to say i'm a bit disappointed at the moment.

[CitySky]

54. Hey look, guys, Skinner believes in Democracy!

Even for us! :hug: You rock.

Thanks for asking us. Now I have to sheepishly admit I'm in the "undecided" category on this one! Perhaps the ONLY thing I've been "undecided" about in a while.

[SeanQ]

55. No - but links offsite in _replies_ would probably be OK

[Steelangel]

56. Skinner, a suggestion

Make a temp forum for that and let people who wants to see exit polls there. So that we people who don't want to see exit polls don't have to deal with these topics in these regular forums?

Just a thought.

[DeepModem Mom]

57. You have enough to do guys -- don't add to your burden; nothing...

will stop us from voting against the Bush cabal, and for John Kerry. Besides, I think if people don't get exit poll leaks from here, they'll get them from Drudge, and elsewhere.

[deek]

58. Pin a thread to the top of latest pages

and just let the people who are interested in that stay there.

Or perhaps, if you don't want to lose the bandwidth, post a notice with exit poll links on it?

[Claire Beth]

59. No

[DuctapeFatwa]

61. Yes, it is unlikely that NOT putting them here will prevent anyone from

seeing them, since they are everywhere else.

Prohibiting them just makes more work for the administrators on an already busy day.

[Dob Bole]

62. No,,,but thanks for being open to changing your mind...

Did you know that moderators are not supposed to do that?

[Technowitch]

65. The info is being posted elsewhere, I see no reason to exclude it here

[Placebo]

66. I don't really think it's necessary.

:)

[russian33]

67. No, DU is going to crash...there's enough stuff being posted already

[Worst Username Ever]

68. OK so when do we wrap this poll up n/t

[H3Dakota]

69. If people want to see them, they can go look for them...

But don't put us (especially us cube rats) on that emotional roller coaster of "we're Winning!"... no, "we're losing"...

Like you said - this is a website for people who are very well informed - and exit polls are NOT the way to be very well informed, IMHO... ;)

[RogueTrooper]

70. Most Certainly Not

[bpilgrim]

71. Yes!

this is my most convienient single source for news and you want to kill that on it's most important day of the year?

please post! don't become lame-stream wannabees, please ;->

peace

[Skinner]

72. We have decided to permit exit polls.

I know... The result of this poll was against allowing them. But we were reading all the comments, and based on what we've read we feel that it is pointless to forbid them. Here's why: Everyone knows where to find exit polls and what they say. So we figure it's counterproductive to send our visitors over to other websites to get information. Also, we think anyone who would visit a site like DU would be likely to vote no matter what the polls say.

So, exit polls are permitted. But we expect members to clearly indicate the source for any exit polls that are posted here. Keep this in mind: Exit polls are unreliable, and exit polls from biased sources are even more unreliable.

And we hope that everyone will remember that our job is to get people out to vote, regardless of what the exit polls say.

Thanks for your input.

Skinner
DU Admin