08 Jun Angus Reid’s regional breakdowns — feedback

Posted at 12:11h in Nova Scotia Election by

Paul DesBarres, president of Nova Insights, who claims to be the first pollster to project an NDP majority, thinks my squeamishness about using online polling results marks me as out of touch with current market research methods. A  recent article by DesBarres expands on the point:

The home landline is no longer necessarily the best way to garner public opinion:

  • Fully 84% of Canadians and 81% of Nova Scotians are online
  • 7% of Nova Scotians do not have a landline
  • 13% among males
  • 12% among 18-34-year-olds

Online polls can be answered 24/7 at the convenience of the respondent.  Respondents are not interrupted on the spot and put into a hostile mood for the interview; they have time to be thoughtful. Sensitive topics are answered more honestly since there is no “live” interviewer to provide perceived judgment…

[I]n the last several years… those having a landline phone, choosing to answer that landline phone from unknown callers, and then completing a survey on the spot has become a much less representative sample of the population.  While this has been happening, computers have become increasingly prevalent (especially among key segments like 18-34-year-olds that are difficult to reach on a landline) and so has high-speed, “always on” internet.

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