(Redirected from Gallup Poll)A 'Gallup Poll' is an
opinion poll conducted by
The Gallup Organization and frequently used by the
mass media for representing
public opinion. The Gallup Poll is named after its inventor, the
American statistician,
George Gallup. Until the mid-
1980s the Gallup Poll conducted its polls using door-to-door sampling methods. Now, however, nearly all samples are chosen using the process of
random digit dialing. ("
How Polls are Conducted", an excerpt from ''Where America Stands'' by Michael Golay,
1997)
The Gallup Poll has existed since the
1930s. Historically, the Gallup Organization has measured and tracked the public's attitudes concerning virtually every
political,
social, and
economic issue of the day, including highly sensitive or controversial subjects. Although Gallup has typically conducted its polling activities in collaboration with various media organizations and, on occasion, with worldwide associations and academic institutions, these polls are reputed to have been carried out independently and objectively.
Gallup polls are usually accurate in predicting the correct outcome of the current
United States presidential election. A notable exception is the
1948 Thomas Dewey-
Harry S. Truman election, where nearly all pollsters predicted a Dewey victory. The Gallup poll also inaccurately projected a slim victory by
Gerald Ford in
1976. In
2000, Gallup was technically correct in projecting
George W. Bush as the winner of the
election, although it was the runner up,
Al Gore, who actually received the majority vote.
See also
★
Approval rating
External links
★
Gallup Poll Home Page
★
Gallup World Poll Home Page