Comments on: Roundup http://minneapolis.metblogs.com/2008/10/01/roundup-30/ Wed, 25 Nov 2009 06:27:09 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: lindabee http://minneapolis.metblogs.com/2008/10/01/roundup-30/comment-page-1/#comment-6568 lindabee Sun, 05 Oct 2008 00:31:38 +0000 http://minneapolis.metblogs.com/?p=3151#comment-6568 Even more importantly, media exit polls serve as checks and balances for the "official" count. Republicans have stirred everybody up against exit polling in recent years, precisely at the same time there are lots of reasons to believe they and their cronies are rigging electronic voting machines. In 2000, shock waves went through the elections community when the results didn't match exit polling. (Historically, exit polling had always been a very reliable double-check.) Conveniently, the GOP blamed the exit polling, and started calling for its elimination. Voter News Service, who has been doing the networks' exit polling for decades, was shut down in 2004. We should actually be calling for more checks-and-balances like exit polling in this system. Or we might as well not cast a ballot at all, but have Diebold appoint the president direcly. Even more importantly, media exit polls serve as checks and balances for the "official" count. Republicans have stirred everybody up against exit polling in recent years, precisely at the same time there are lots of reasons to believe they and their cronies are rigging electronic voting machines.

In 2000, shock waves went through the elections community when the results didn’t match exit polling. (Historically, exit polling had always been a very reliable double-check.) Conveniently, the GOP blamed the exit polling, and started calling for its elimination. Voter News Service, who has been doing the networks’ exit polling for decades, was shut down in 2004.

We should actually be calling for more checks-and-balances like exit polling in this system. Or we might as well not cast a ballot at all, but have Diebold appoint the president direcly.

]]> By: Erica M http://minneapolis.metblogs.com/2008/10/01/roundup-30/comment-page-1/#comment-6559 Erica M Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:54:05 +0000 http://minneapolis.metblogs.com/?p=3151#comment-6559 Okay, that makes sense. Okay, that makes sense.

]]> By: derushaj http://minneapolis.metblogs.com/2008/10/01/roundup-30/comment-page-1/#comment-6558 derushaj Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:43:05 +0000 http://minneapolis.metblogs.com/?p=3151#comment-6558 Exit polls are critical to the study of political science. They are the only way that researchers can break down how certain age groups turned out, voted, certain geographic breakdowns, etc. Without exit polls, we would know virtually nothing about voter behavior. Exit polls are critical to the study of political science. They are the only way that researchers can break down how certain age groups turned out, voted, certain geographic breakdowns, etc. Without exit polls, we would know virtually nothing about voter behavior.

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