Understanding the Flaws of Polling and What Defines Quality

With the U.S. election just a day away and a Canadian one that could be called very soon, we’re all spending a lot of time talking about polls.

But how exactly do they work and what happens when they get it wrong? Last week, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe won another majority government for the Saskatchewan Party despite some polls beforehand showing the NDP in the lead. And famously, the polls highly underestimated Donald Trump’s voter base in both 2016 and 2020.

So to better understand the ins and outs of the polling business and the challenges of adapting it to changing habits and politics, we’re talking to David Coletto, founder and CEO of Abacus Data.

For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts