EPTAsking because today the Republican primary in Maryland was called for Mitt Romney the minute polls closed... before counting had even begun. I'm assuming it must be exit polling.
[Q] Calling Elections in the US
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EtherealDeath
United States8366 Posts
Asking because today the Republican primary in Maryland was called for Mitt Romney the minute polls closed... before counting had even begun. I'm assuming it must be exit polling. | ||
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huameng
United States1133 Posts
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Mothra
United States1448 Posts
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Trumpet
United States1936 Posts
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AirbladeOrange
United States2574 Posts
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Froadac
United States6733 Posts
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EtherealDeath
United States8366 Posts
On April 04 2012 10:12 Froadac wrote: It's exit polls. We're learning about it in my gov class. Generally the media cycles between absolute trust and absolute distrust of exit polls. Right now we are in the trust phase, after the distrust phase following 2004 elections. Yea I figured. Isn't it a bit unethical to call the election before polls close though? | ||
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Froadac
United States6733 Posts
On April 04 2012 10:49 EtherealDeath wrote: Yea I figured. Isn't it a bit unethical to call the election before polls close though? Media? Ethical? Personally I would say it is highly unethical to do it before polls close, but anything for a good story T.T | ||
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BuGzlToOnl
United States5918 Posts
![[image loading]](http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg36/scaled.php?server=36&filename=truman.png&res=medium) + Show Spoiler + MERICA! | ||
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Golgotha
Korea (South)8418 Posts
On April 04 2012 10:54 Froadac wrote: Media? Ethical? Personally I would say it is highly unethical to do it before polls close, but anything for a good story T.T how is it unethical? exit polls have been used to gauge election fraud. it's not all bad. | ||
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Froadac
United States6733 Posts
On April 04 2012 12:22 Golgotha wrote: how is it unethical? exit polls have been used to gauge election fraud. it's not all bad. Just the fact they are announcing when people are still voting. | ||
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Alacast
United States205 Posts
On April 04 2012 12:22 Golgotha wrote: how is it unethical? exit polls have been used to gauge election fraud. it's not all bad. It's more of an issue of the news shows intentionally leading people on. It's a win:win. If they predict the winner correctly based on polls, they get views because they're story hit 'first.' If they're wrong, a politically advantageous scapegoat will be found (read: hanging chads) and you get another flood of viewers trying to get the real results later. On the contrary, if they don't report based on exit polls, they look lazy when all the other sites/shows have the info and they gain nothing for having the 'real' results later in the event of initial inaccuracy. I wouldn't go so far as to say unethical, but their commitment to 'accurate reporting' or whatever slogan their brand chooses to employ is compromised at best, a farce at worst. High ratings = Money != Good News. | ||
Jibba
United States22883 Posts
My memory's a bit hazy, but I think they stopped after 2000. I'm positive they haven't this year, though. They all do a stupid countdown to poll closing, where they proceed to say that it's too close to call. | ||
itsjustatank
Hong Kong9178 Posts
Race callers also need procedures to track provisional votes, an election night wrinkle that grew out of the post-2000 election reforms. AP held back from calling Ohio—and with it the presidency—in 2004 because of the uncertainty over how many provisional ballots had been cast and how they might break. This year, there will be provisional voting history from 2004, 2006 and 2008 to guide race callers in close elections. http://ap.org/media-center/elections/calling-election | ||
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Froadac
United States6733 Posts
On April 04 2012 13:45 Jibba wrote: I don't think any media outlets call elections before state polls have closed, anymore. My memory's a bit hazy, but I think they stopped after 2000. I'm positive they haven't this year, though. They all do a stupid countdown to poll closing, where they proceed to say that it's too close to call. I'm pretty darn sure CNN did that today, although I know in most cases they do not. | ||
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Jacobine
United States174 Posts
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Azzur
Australia6267 Posts
i.e. Human nature to do so. | ||
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Grohg
United States243 Posts
In StarCraft terms, Azzur hit the nail on the head. It's like a caster calling gg before the game ends and constantly saying how bad the situation is for one player. If that player somehow pulls off a win despite the caster's notion that the game was over beforehand, you just look dumb for using the strong or definitive language. Nothing kills human psychology like the idea of futility. It's the reason why people don't vote in the first place...they feel like it doesn't matter if one person votes. However, if the majority of people saw voting as incredibly important and as if they were making a difference, you would get a better election. It makes you wonder how much the media plays a role in who gets elected, you can bet your life's savings on the fact that they know what they're suggesting by relaying information in a particular order or tone. | ||
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Mortality
United States4790 Posts
/me puts on tinfoil cap. | ||
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