Debate over election polling

November 25 was federal by-election day. And once again election polling became a big part of the story.

Here’s a Globe and Mail article which includes comments by the research company in question.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/pollster-worried-shoddy-surveys-will-lead-to-polling-ban-during-elections/article15624347/
While it is critical of Forum Research’s miss in Brandon-Souris, it also says “most polls were significantly off the mark in recent provincial elections in Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia” indicating bigger issues at play than one company’s methodology.

And here’s some of the real time commentary via twitter during the vote counting.


(Disclosure: I have never been and am not involved in election polling of any sort. I do not vote in Canada because I am a permanent resident. As a researcher I am interested in the perhaps most public aspect of the research industry’s work, but one few researchers actually undertake, and its effect on the credibility of the industry as a whole.)