Robo Reliability

We typically stick to local issues at GrowthMatters.

But there’s all kinds of jockeying by interest groups and politicians at the state level to find ways to raise more money. Several groups—including AARP, Equality NC, The Environmental Defense Fund, the Trial Lawyers, the AFL-CIO and others—recently signed on to the results of a so-called “poll”.

But we’re not going to call it a poll because the way in which folks were contacted is questionable. The firm who did the research is OnPoint, a Democratic consulting firm located in Raleigh. They specialize in using computers that call folks and use recordings to ask questions (press one if you agree, two if you do not agree etc). The technical term is Interactive Voice Response (IVR). Some call them “robo-polls.” How do we know they don’t get a bunch of teenagers or 12 year olds punching numbers? We don’t. And that’s the problem.

Most polling firms we talk to say the results of robo-polls are not reliable. The IVR method is cheap. Traditional polling is more expensive— but is also more reliable. Others agree. According to the New York Times, in its guidelines for reporting on polls:

“Interactive voice response (IVR) polls (also known as “robo-polls”) employ an automated, recorded voice to call respondents who are asked to answer questions by punching telephone keys. Anyone who can answer the phone and hit the buttons can be counted in the survey – regardless of age. Results of this type of poll are not reliable.”

So these interest groups are out their pushing their robo-poll claiming the progressive agenda—which includes taxing the American Dream—is the people’s agenda.

So when you read about this robo-poll in the media we think you should think twice about who the “people” are they called, before you believe what they say is reliable.

Our phone is ringing. Where’s a teenager when you need them?