[Mpls] Ethics of strib "Polls"

[Greg Abbott]

The Strib did this four years ago, publishing a poll on the Sunday  
before the election that had RT 20 points ahead of Sayles Belton.  As  
an estimate of the poll's impact on Sayles Belton supporters, RT's  
actual margin was 30 percent, which occurred as turnout dropped  
substantially across the city.

This had a huge impact on the down ballot races.  I was the DFL- 
endorsed candidate in Ward 13 that year, and in the previous two  
general elections, total turnout in Ward 13 had been about 13,000  
voters.  In 2001, total turnout dropped in Ward 13 to 10,500.  What's  
worse is that IMHO the drop-off consistently primarily of Sayles  
Belton voters who decided not to vote because the outcome was decided  
(RT supporters were energized by the prospect of voting Sayles Belton  
out of office, in contrast).

I lost that election by 1,000 votes, in a situation where 2,500  
mostly DFL voters didn't go to the polls because the Strib declared  
that the outcome was decided.  Would I have won if the Strib didn't  
publish that poll?  The answer to that is unknowable -- but the drop  
in turnout destroyed whatever chance I had to win.

The outcome of local elections are highly dependent on turnout, and  
in my view it is grossly irresponsible for the local newspaper to  
tell voters two days before the election that they needn't bother to  
show up.

Greg Abbott
Linden Hills


On Nov 6, 2005, at 8:25 AM, m1r3201 at aol.com wrote:

> I just got my morning Sunday Strib and there in the headlines was
> "Rybak,Coleman hold big leads" based on a poll done by the Strib.
>
> The reason the media has been stopped from yakking on voting days  
> about
> projected numbers for or against candidates during voting hours is  
> due to the undue
> influence they have on voter turnout.