Why Answer?

I’m as interested as the next political junkie in what the polls show and how they are trending in high profile races.  And when I was a bit younger I felt like I was participating in the great process of democracy when I was privileged to be polled – almost always by phone.

Now I never answer.

Part of the reason is irritation with polls themselves.  Those conducted by actual human beings are often much longer than you are told – and once you have committed five minutes and they promise just another minute… well it feels like you will have wasted the first five if you don’t stick with it.  And you end up wasting ten minutes instead.

Or the poll is excessively and tediously nuanced:

•          If the election were held today would you say you were

o   Very likely to support the bond issue to build a soccer stadium?

o   Likely….

o   Unlikely…

o   Very Unlikely…

o   Not sure.

•          If the election were held today and the bond issue included money for Meals on Wheels as well as a soccer stadium would you be very likely… likely… etc.
•          If the election were held today and the bond issue included funding for Adopt-A-Pet, Meals on Wheels and a soccer stadium…

And if the poor pollster asks me another variation would I be likely or very likely to shout, “I don’t care that much about a soccer stadium!”

Even more offensive is the “push-poll” where you realize the poll is not to get your opinion but to shape it:

•          If the new soccer stadium is opposed by absentee landlords and used car salesmen, would you be very likely to support it, likely…

Nowadays when I pick up the phone, it sounds like most polls are being taken by a computer which makes it easier to hang up on them.

In these days of data insecurity and privacy concerns I have begun to wonder

•       Is this a reputable polling firm?  Even if they use the name “Gallup” how do I know?

•         Is this poll really for the sake of gathering answers to the ostensible questions or is the purpose to build a demographic profile of the person on this end of the phone?

•    Even if the poll is on the up-and-up how can I be sure the polling firm won’t suffer a data breach and a million preferences fall into the wrong hands, mine included?

So, from now on, the powers-that-be have to wait to learn my opinion until they can count my paper ballot.

But that’s a wariness for another blog.