Writing:Polling information (ballot measures)
Contents |
A successful polls section on Ballotpedia:
- Gives you concrete data about how local residents feel about a candidate or issue.
- Gives reader quick and accurate information.
- Gives the reader up-to-date information about public opinion.
- Formats information in a well organized, clear and concise manner.
Measure article
Below are guidelines for adding polling information to ballot measure articles. Such information is added in a section called "Polls." This section is generally featured below the "Support and Opposition" sections. Use {{ballot measure help}} as a guideline for the order of components.
How to
Step 1 Find information about the poll. This is usually found in news articles and will usually lead you to the official pollster website.
Step 2 Obtain the information needed to create this section:
- Pollster name
- Results (Yes, No, Undecided)
- Number of people polled
- Location
- Type of survey
- How the question was phrased
- Margin of error
- Dates conducted
- Who commissioned the poll
Step 3 Write a summary. This should be a clear and accurate reflection of the polling data. Place correct references in the summary if referencing a ballot measure. Place references in chart if referencing candidate elections.
Example:
- A poll of Santa Clara residents conducted by Survey USA during January 1-4, 2010, commissioned by the local CBS station, showed that 54 percent stated that they oppose the city's plan of using funds from redevelopment money, hotel room tax and the city utility tax for a stadium, and 40 percent favor using public money to pay for a portion of the new proposed stadium. The poll surveyed 500 Santa Clara citizens and the margin of error was reportedly plus or minus 4%.
- Suffolk University in Boston, Massachusetts, surveyed 500 registered Massachusetts voters between September 12 and September 15, 2009, and found that Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley held a significant early lead in a head-to-head contest with her Republican opponent, Scott P. Brown. The polling data, however, was heavily skewered against Brown. Of the 500 registered voters who took part in the survey, 39% identified themselves as registered Democrats and 44% as independents. Only 15% indicated they were registered Republicans.
Step 4: Put info into chart and format chart using correct wiki codes and add poll legend.
Example for ballot measure articles:
|
| Date of Poll | Pollster | In favor | Opposed | Undecided | Number polled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar. 29 - Apr. 4, 2011 | Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind | 53% | 30% | 17% | 711 |
| October 10, 2011 | Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind | 52% | 31% | 17% | 800 |
| October 6-9, 2011 | Rutgers-Eagleton Poll | 58% | 31% | 12% | 903 |
Step 5 Update polls.
- Update polls accordingly and make sure to implement a timeline for notable measures to see if more polls were conducted leading up to the election.
Example
- See example article: New Jersey Sports Betting Amendment, Public Question 1 (2011)
This entire section may appear as follows:
==Polls==
::''See also: [[Polls, YEAR ballot measures]]''
* Summary about poll <ref>[ref goes here]</ref>
<table style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; width: 242px; border: #99B3FF solid 1px">
<tr><td>{{BallotMeasurePollLegend}}</td></tr>
</table>
{{Poll template name goes here}}
Poll overview page
In addition to being featured on the measure article, the poll should also be added to the overview page.
(EXAMPLE: Polls, 2013 ballot measures).
See Ballot measure polls by year.
Add the poll to the relevant section depending on the status of the measure (on the ballot, proposed, not on the ballot).
Add the link the link to the ballot measure article and poll template.
Example:
===Arizona===
:: ''[[Arizona Public Election Funding Ban Amendment (2012)]]''
{{Arizonaelectionfundingamendmentpoll}}
Which would appear as:
| Date of Poll | Pollster | In favor | Opposed | Undecided | Number polled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 13-17, 2011 | Lake Research Partners | 77% | 14% | 9% | 500 |
Poll chart wiki-code
if a template does not currently exist, you'll want to copy the code below to the new template and add the relevant poll data.
Poll template naming conventions generally are as follows:
- State abbreviation
- Measure number or descriptive name
- Year
- "Poll"
Example: {{MichiganCollectiveBargaining2012Poll}}
NOTES:
- If position is ahead and at or over 50% add the "winnercolor" component. If below 50%, remove "winnercolor." (see below)
- There is no limit to the number of polls that can be added.
Single poll
{{MultiPollBegin}}
{{FlexPoll|rowonly=
|daterange=MONTH DATE - MONTH DATE (List year if not in the same year as election. 2011 poll for a 2012 measure)
|pollster=Pollster name (For example: EPIC-MRA)
|winnercolor=yellow (If position is ahead and at or over 50% add this. If not, remove "winnercolor")
|choice1pct=## (in favor)
|choice2pct=## (opposed)
|choice3pct=## (undecided)
|totalpolled=### (total polled)
}}{{MultiPollEnd}}
Minus the notes in parentheses, this would appear as:
| Date of Poll | Pollster | In favor | Opposed | Undecided | Number polled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MONTH DATE - MONTH DATE | Ballotpedia Polling | 60% | 30% | 10% | 900 |
Multiple poll
{{MultiPollBegin}}
{{FlexPoll|rowonly=
|daterange=MONTH DATE - MONTH DATE
|pollster=Pollster name
|winnercolor=yellow
|choice1pct=##
|choice2pct=##
|choice3pct=##
|totalpolled=###
}}
{{FlexPoll|rowonly=
|daterange=MONTH DATE - MONTH DATE
|pollster=Pollster name
|winnercolor=yellow
|choice1pct=##
|choice2pct=##
|choice3pct=##
|totalpolled=###
}}{{MultiPollEnd}}
(Above: space included to show both polls)
This would appear as (note the second poll does not include "winnercolor" because neither position reached 50% or more):
| Date of Poll | Pollster | In favor | Opposed | Undecided | Number polled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MONTH DATE - MONTH DATE | Ballotpedia Polling | 60% | 30% | 10% | 900 |
| MONTH DATE - MONTH DATE | Ballotpedia Polling | 30% | 40% | 30% | 900 |
