'If You Can Keep It': The Purpose Of The Polls

Polls play a major role in U.S. politics. And in the months leading up to an election, they’re everywhere.

Polling doesn’t just indicate which party has a competitive advantage in a race. They also tell us about the issues that are most concerning to voters. And how these concerns break down by race, gender, education, age, and political affiliation. They also tell us the level of trust people have in the institutions tasked with carrying out our democratic processes.

In this installment of our weekly series, “If You Can Keep It,” we break down the purpose of polls and their place in our elections, politics, and democracy.

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