How Public Opinion Polling Can Shape Politics

Public opinion polling is not just for individuals’ curiosity or adding interest to news stories. If used in the right way, public opinion polls can be a wise way of informing political processes, such as selecting policies, changing PR strategies, and increasing the people’s voice in government. While public opinion polls are not an official avenue for making changes in the law or voting for government assistance programs, they are still a good indicator of people’s satisfaction with the current government or desire for political change.

By conducting public opinion polling before officially enacting a policy, government officials and candidates seeking political office can test the waters and discern the amount of approval or disapproval of policies. It is more advantageous to discover voters’ disapproval of a policy through a public poll than to gain their disapproval by enacting a policy they do not agree with. If the public disapproves of a specific policy that is already in effect, a public poll can also read to politicians amending that policy.

Public opinion polls can also be a way for respondents to exercise their voice and hold politicians accountable. In their zeal to pass legislation or make changes to the current party platform, politicians may not be aware of what the public actually wants. Public opinion polling can help ensure that politicians do not break the bonds of trust they have built with their voters and everyday people.

If you’d like to conduct public opinion polls for a candidate seeking election or a politician in office, be sure to contact John Zogby Strategies. Their team is thoroughly experienced at political surveys and other forms of survey data collection.