On Thu, 11 Nov 2004, Ryan Ware wrote:

>> (See, for example, "Evidence Mounts That The Vote May Have Been Hacked"
>>                  http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1106-30.htm )
>> From the article
> ""This was no mere mistake. Exit polls cannot be as wrong across the
> board as they were on election night."

The final exit-poll counts matched very closely with the official vote 
counts in Florida, in other states, and at a national level.  Look on 
CNN.com for exit poll results and you will see what I mean.


> Why so much stock in exit polls?

They give us a way to check on the validity of the official vote counts. 
This is important, and it is done all over the world.


> People can lie.  Pollsters can lie.

So can election officials.  With exit polling, both election officials and 
pollsters have to tell the same lie or a discrepancy will be noticed which 
will leave the results in question.  How do you recommend that lying be 
detected without exit polling?


> Personally I believe no exit polling should be allowed at all.  Or if it 
> is, it may not be broadcast until after the polls have closed across the 
> entire country.

Do you think the results from one state affect voter choices in another 
state?  I don't think that is an important issue, but I have no objection 
to withholding results for a few hours or a day.  I do think that exit 
polling is needed if we are to trust election results.


> "I suspect foul play."  So do I, but from different people than the 
> articles author.

What do you suspect?

Mike

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