Survey Method facts & stats

Question 1

By 2018, what share of people called for a US telephone survey actually responded, down from about 9% a few years before?

Accepted Answer

about 6%. Low response rates are one of the biggest challenges facing traditional phone pollsters today.

Question 2

For its 2020 exit poll, Edison Research combined 7,774 in-person, Election Day interviews with how many phone interviews of early/absentee voters?

Accepted Answer

4,919 phone interviews. Mixing interview modes helps exit pollsters capture voters who cast ballots before Election Day.

Question 3

From 1936 to 2008, Gallup's final pre-election poll correctly called the presidential winner every time except two elections. How many misses was that?

Accepted Answer

2 misses (1948 and 1976). That's a strong track record across more than 70 years and roughly 18 elections.

Question 4

For its fiscal year ending June 2021, nonprofit Pew Research Center — which conducts many of its own surveys — reported revenue of about how much?

Accepted Answer

$36 million. That funding, mostly from foundation grants, supports Pew's ongoing survey research operations.

Survey Method facts & stats

Going deeper

By 2018, what share of people called for a US telephone survey actually responded, down from about 9% a few years before?

Expert level

For its 2020 exit poll, Edison Research combined 7,774 in-person, Election Day interviews with how many phone interviews of early/absentee voters?

From 1936 to 2008, Gallup's final pre-election poll correctly called the presidential winner every time except two elections. How many misses was that?

For its fiscal year ending June 2021, nonprofit Pew Research Center — which conducts many of its own surveys — reported revenue of about how much?