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In the 16th episode of The Road to Now, Dr. Scott Huffmon joins Bob and Ben for a discussion on public polling and its history in the United States. Dr. Huffmon discusses the origins of polling in Jacksonian America, the evolution of political polls in the 20th century, and the remarkable amount of work that it takes to create an accurate poll. He also explains how to measure a poll’s reliability, and why some attempts to gage public opinion through polls have generated unreliable results.

 

 

Dr. Huffmon is a Professor of Political Science at Winthrop University and Director of the Winthrop Poll initiative, which offers public policy makers insight into the attitudes and opinions of citizens of South Carolina and the southern United States. Dr. Huffmon’s commentary on poll results and politics have been featured in a variety of respected news outlets in the US and abroad. His excellence in the classroom at Winthrop University also nearly convinced a young Bob Crawford to switch his major from music to political science.

Recorded Monday, August 15th, 2016 at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC.

Links:
-Scott Huffmon’s faculty page at Winthrop University
-Scott Huffmon on twitter
-The Winthrop Poll