New Public Poll Shows People Hate Public Polls
The National Public Research Center published the results of a recent poll pertaining toÂ peopleâsÂ perception of public polls.Â  The upshot:Â  84 percent of the public hates public polls.Chief Pollmistress Ann P. Davis provided details.âWhen we poll the populationÂ on the popularity of public polls, we purposely employ precisely one pair of pollsters,â she explained. â100 people are phone polled,â explained Davis.Â  âWe ask if theyâd like to participate.Â  If the answer is âYES,â the response is placedÂ in the âYESâ pile.Â  If the answer is âNO,â itâs placed in the âNOâ pile.Â  If you get sworn at, hung up on, or threatened, thatâs an automatic âNOâ so the results usually are procured in no time flat!âThe findings were published in the polltaker periodical Popular Pollster, the primary publication for polling professionals.Before you say to yourself âIâd rather poke out my eye than do phone polling,â â listen to how Davis makes the task fun andÂ challenging for her staff.âWe have a little competition every month. Â If you get 50 out of 50 âNOs,â then you win round 1.Â  As a bonus, if your score comes from only hangups with no verbal interaction or threats, then we induct you into our Pollster Palace of Pride and we treat you lunch!âThe perky pollster does, however, miss what she calls the âgood poll days.âÂ  âThatâs a play on words,â she explained.Â  âBy the way, 49 percent of people hate when other people use a play on words around them.ââYears ago,â she proceeded, âpollsters physically participated with the publicÂ â pen, pencil, pad; but with peopleâs faster pace, pedestrians no longer pause long enough to provide answers.âAccording to Davis, person-to-person polling did have a downside, though.âWe used to get punchedÂ a lot,â she said.Â  âLiterally, people would take a poke at a polltaker, no matter how polite we purported to be,â said Davis, pointing to a pill-shaped scar above her left eyebrow. âI got this from an elderly gentleman who thought I said âpoll tax.â I ate pavement that day, but, itâs all a part of the pollster game.Â  24 percent of people polled have been victims of public assaults.ââBut I wouldnât trade it for the world,â she added, glancing around the office. Â âEvery dayâs a party!ââI DID IT!,â shouted senior poll taker SteveÂ McNamara!Â  I got a 50!Â  BOOYAH!Â  FREE LUNCH! WOO HOO!â he exclaimed.âLooks like Steve wins again!â said Davis. Â âHeâs won 57 per cent of our contests!âAn exclusive interview with AnnÂ P. Davis will appear in the October issue of Popular Pollster.