Pew Research expert's responses to frequently asked questions on polling and data
What is the Value of a ’Generic” Candidate or Ballot in Polls?
Pollsters sometimes match a “generic” Republican or Democratic candidate against an incumbent, or use a generic ballot to forecast which party is ahead in congressional elections. How to read these polls.
Dividing People into ’Liberals,’ ’Moderates’ and ’Conservatives’ – Too Simplistic?
Assessing the value of using the labels “moderate,” “liberal” and “conservative” to describe the electorate.
