Politics, 2024 Election
I Hate Polls and You Should Too
Polls change like the weather and distract voters from what matters
Election day gets closer every day, and as November 5, 2024, nears, too many of us are focused on polls instead of the candidates or the issues as they should be. Is Kamala (please, pronounce it correctly) ahead in Michigan? What is wrong with Ohio — Trump is winning? And how will Harris’ choice of a vice-presidential running mate impact the polls?
I have discussed these questions, and other pointless ones, with various people over the last two weeks and learned nothing. Poll numbers change daily. Trump was up after the assassination attempt but lost that lift when Biden dropped out of the race. Harris will likely get a bump up with her VP choice and the upcoming Democratic Convention, but those gains will be transitory. If she keeps them, it will be because of other developments in the coming weeks.
Political polls are supposed to help us understand what voters are interested in. If Trump delivers a rousing speech on the perils of undocumented migrants, the polls tell us that border policy is a negative for the Democrats. I understand that, but how many of the people polled heard the Trump speech or understood the policy? Even more worrisome, some voters might…
