It appears that election polls, which are based on strong statistical data are becoming less trustworthy. We are in an election year and information is critical. There have been a few surprises so far, not just in the primary election results. Mainstream news media has been using bloggers as experts. That means two things. Experts are blogging and bloggers are becoming experts. Not all bloggers of course. But, you can't deny that digital information on demand is changing the political landscape of America.
Part of the problem is that many polling companies are using terrestrial phone lines to gather data. Many young people don't have land lines anymore and mobile phones are usually not available for solicitation. Land line poll data can be skewed by an older demographic. It's like reaching 25 year olds through newspapers.
While the statistical methods have not changed, the way information is changing. Some information is hiding from traditional sources. Social media and other pull methods of receiving messages are changing the way people learn about the candidates. In the same way that TV rating systems have had to adapt (or at least tried too), political analyst are starting to change their ways. Most candidates are not even using SEO effectively. Expect changes to happen immediately, like in weeks. Look for companies like Google and Yahoo to $hare valuable information with campaign groups in an effort to get the most up to date information. There will also be an online index developed for measuring political performance.
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