St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1954-07-30
Difference In
Scientific Polls
& Straw Votes
by SIDNEY GOLDFISH
Editor Minnesota Pon

BY SIDNEY GOLDFISH
Editor Minnesota Pon
Minnesota Newspapers have re-
ceived from the Hennepin County
Republican Club press release
captioned Public Opinion Poll"
II reported results OF straw vote
ON questions posed in a paid adj
vertisement published by the club
June IS in the Minneapolis Sum
day Tribune.
The release says there is wide
discrepancy between its results
and recent findings OF the Mime
apolis Tribune's Minnesota Poll
ON similar topics-though the
questions were worded differently.
The comments OF some Mime
sofa editors show a gratifying In
sight into differences between
straw votes and polls which en-
pioy scientific research methods.
Other editors have published the
release without comment, or have
said that the "indiscrepancy''
means the Minnesota Poli is at
fault. A few dccry all straw votes
and polls.
Let US call these facts to your
attention:
1, Readers Of the June 10 issue
OF the Minneapolis Sunday Trib-
une were invited by the Hennepin
County Republican Club 10 check
yes" or mo" answers TO a dozen
questions contained In the clubs
advertisement. then 10 clip the ad
and mail II back to he clubs
headquarters In Minneapolis. An
swers. the club says. came from
Minnesota, North Dakota. South
Dakota, Wisconsin and Montana.
Minnesota Poll studies are con.
fined TO Minnesota. Opinions Of
other Upper Midwest residents
cannot be assumed or expected TO
conform. II would be surprising
u no discrepancy appeared.
2. Nothing except the residence
10 known OF tho characteristics Of
the readers who cast ballots for
the Hennepin County Republican
Club: whether or not they are
representative OF the regions a.
duits Is entirely eonjectural. Nor
Is there any way OF heading off
an individual desiring to stuff
the ballot boxes by marking
many ballots and mailing them.
The Minnesota Poll applies rigid
controls as TO the types OF per-
sons interviewed In its studies.
They are people who. in the aEgre-
gate, make up sound cross-sec-
tion sample OF Minnesota's entire
adult population. The kinds OF
persons interviewed are properly
apportioned M TO sex. age. place
OF residence. socio-economic sta
tus, etc. Rarely is tho same per-
SON ever re~intrrviewed. The
sampiing plan has been worked
out and In maintained In consul.
tstion with the Research Division
Of the University OF Minnesota
School OF Journalism.
3. The Hennepin County Repub-
iican Clubs president. John q.
Alexander, says 1900 to 10000
straw votes have been received,
The results contained In It's relaese
however. appear TO have been has
ed on tabulation OF about the first
1900 ballots 10 arrive. CAS- you
may be aware by now, the club
erred in It's release In reporting
only seventeenth OF iSc to the
question, Have you ever been In
terview by anyone from the Min
nesota Poll7" A subsequent cor
receive message to editors put the
figure at 6,92ss nearly ten times
more.)
The release did not reveal the
number OF straw votes counted,
but made disparaging reference
to the fact that Minnesota Poll
samples are Small"
II should be noted that when
responses are haphaxardly collect
ed In straw votes. mere numbers
Offer no assurance of accuracy,
The Literary Digest counted near
Iy ~ million straw votes In 1896,
but its prediction Of the presiden-
tial election outcome was 10
points off.
Six hundred to 1000 persons are
interviewed by the Minnesota
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