Saturday, October 25, 2008

Data and the US Elections

My wife has recently stated that she will not vote in the Presidential Election as our state (MD) is a democratic state and that her vote, one way or another, would not matter. I wonder if this is a result of data or the Electoral College? How many others are not going to vote this year because the polls say that their candidate is so far behind that their vote would not matter. Or, and perhaps worse, their candidate is so far ahead that their vote is not needed. I do not know about you, but I have NEVER been a participant in an exit poll (and I vote) nor have I ever been asked to participate in a poll either. So it begs to question the validity and reliability of these polls.

Thoughts?

1 comment:

Scott Mooney said...

I wonder how many other offices are up for election that she won't get to vote on? Board of Education? State Senate? Sheriff? All of those offices have much more impact on our daily lives than does the President (until he ruins our economy that is). IMHO, not going to vote flies in the face of what this nation stands for. I wonder what Susan B. Anthony or Elizabeth Cady Stanton would say about her not going. I know exactly what Lucy Burns would say.