Why Do Election Polls Matter?
By next week, the results of New Jersey’s tight gubernatorial race will be in. Until then, many political analysts and voters alike are reading public opinion polls to try and predict which candidate – Democrat Mikie Sherrill or Republican Jack Ciattarelli – will win.
They are never meant to serve as a crystal ball, but rather to help us understand the why and how behind voter behavior.
According to Ashley Koning, director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling, polls have several roles in democracy. During elections, they provide a systematic way to measure public sentiment in real time.
- Showing how close or not close a race may be at any given moment.
Author's summary: Election polls matter for understanding voter behavior.