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Methodology

Our surveys are conducted by YouGov, a firm that has conducted polls for a variety of clients, including the Economist and CBS News. YouGov relies on cutting edge statistical techniques to recruit survey respondents online and produce a representative sample of the target population.  

A recent study conducted by scholars at Tufts University and Harvard University demonstrates that online samples such as the one employed by YouGov, are at least as accurate as telephone surveys on most measures. Indeed, due to their flexibility, internet-based samples are becoming a leading source of information about public opinion in the US and around the world.  

In 2018, Nate Silver of Fivethirtyeight.com rated YouGov among the top ten of pollsters to trust during the midterm elections.   According to Nate Cohn of the New York Times, while the average error of online polls during the 2018 midterm election was 5.3 percentage points, YouGov posted an industry best average of 2.5 percentage points in their 2018 midterm election polls.

Locally, YouGov and UMASS Poll produced one of the most accurate polls in the closing days of the 2016 Massachusetts general election. The final poll conducted in Massachusetts showed that 54% of the state’s residents would support the legalization of marijuana in the state (Question 4).  On Election Day, Question 4 passed 54% to 46%.