Member-only story

Why Americans Don't Trust the Polls and How to Fix Them Before It's Too Late

Benji Powell

·5.3k Followers· Follow

Published in POLL ARIZED: Why Americans Don T Trust The Polls And How To Fix Them Before It S Too Late

4 min read · 1 month before

1.5k View Claps

91 Respond

Save

Listen

Americans' trust in the polls has been declining for decades. A 2019 Gallup poll found that only 32% of Americans have a lot or some trust in the polls, down from 72% in 1972. This decline in trust has been fueled by a number of factors, including the increasing polarization of American politics, the rise of social media, and the spread of misinformation.

The decline in trust in the polls is a serious problem for American democracy. Polls are an essential tool for understanding public opinion and holding politicians accountable. If Americans don't trust the polls, they will be less likely to participate in the political process and less likely to hold politicians accountable for their actions.

POLL-ARIZED: Why Americans Don’t Trust the Polls And How to Fix Them Before It’s Too Late

by John Geraci

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	3224 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	294 pages

There are a number of things that can be done to fix the polls and restore Americans' trust in them. One important step is to increase the transparency of the polling process. Pollsters should be more open about their methods and how they select their samples. They should also be more transparent about their funding sources.

Another important step is to reduce the influence of partisanship on the polls. Pollsters should make a greater effort to select their samples randomly and to avoid bias in their questions. They should also be more transparent about their political affiliations.

Finally, it is important to educate Americans about the polls and how they work. Americans need to understand that the polls are not always perfect, but they are an important tool for understanding public opinion. They also need to understand that the polls are not a substitute for voting. The polls are a snapshot of public opinion at a particular moment in time. They do not predict how people will vote on Election Day.

Restoring Americans' trust in the polls is a critical task for American democracy. If Americans don't trust the polls, they will be less likely to participate in the political process and less likely to hold politicians accountable for their actions. By increasing the transparency of the polling process, reducing the influence of partisanship on the polls, and educating Americans about the polls, we can help to restore Americans' trust in the polls and ensure that they remain an essential tool for American democracy.