# Public poll results? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [December 2, 2009, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-poll-results/519686 "2009-12-02T08:23:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-poll-results/519686/1 "2009-12-02T08:23:39Z")
I apparently haven’t figured this out. Some of the poll threads say they’re public and people can see what you chose. But as far as I can see the results are all anonymous. I can see what the totals are, but how do you see what a particular poster chose? ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-poll-results/519686/2 "2009-12-02T08:42:11Z")
I think you must have been looking at private polls. In public ones, when you view the results, the names of the voters are on the left. At least, they are for me. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-poll-results/519686/3 "2009-12-02T08:42:47Z")
See [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/poll.php?do=showresults&pollid=325) for example. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-poll-results/519686/4 "2009-12-02T08:44:41Z")
Click on the number of votes in the result table. It’s clickable. Example: > **[When did the cheating occur in this scenario?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=542034)** > > (Inspired by watching the greatest movie of all time, Love Actually, the other day.) Alan and Emma are a middle-aged married couple, and though Emma is a goddess Alan is nevertheless having a midlife crisis. For the past few months he’s been... ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-poll-results/519686/5 "2009-12-02T08:59:37Z")
> [@xash](#): > > Click on the number of votes in the result table. It’s clickable. > > Example: > > [When did the cheating occur in this scenario? - In My Humble Opinion - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=542034) That doesn’t work for me. Your link goes to the question. When I click on view results, the names are visible, and the numbers aren’t clickable. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-poll-results/519686/6 "2009-12-02T09:05:43Z")
Here’s what I see when I click on the thread link: [![](https://tinypic.com/images/goodbye.jpg) ](https://tinypic.com/images/goodbye.jpg) Then, when I click on any of the numbers, I see the names against each choice. ETA: You probably need to vote on the poll to see what I’m seeing. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-poll-results/519686/7 "2009-12-02T09:06:02Z")
> [@NineToTheSky](#): > > That doesn’t work for me. Your link goes to the question. When I click on view results, the names are visible, and the numbers aren’t clickable. You can click on the numbers after you vote. ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-poll-results/519686/8 "2009-12-02T10:11:02Z")
Thank you. Further to this, I wish people would state whether their polls are public or private ([for example](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=542188)); it could affect whether I vote or not. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-poll-results/519686/9 "2009-12-02T10:15:36Z")
> [@NineToTheSky](#): > > Thank you. > > Further to this, I wish people would state whether their polls are public or private ([for example](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=542188)); it could affect whether I vote or not. It usually tells you in small text when it’s a public poll. I just wish it was more obvious. I always view the results first to confirm whether it’s public or private, before deciding to vote. If the results show me names, I know it’s a public poll. ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-poll-results/519686/10 "2009-12-02T10:21:28Z")
> [@xash](#): > > It usually tells you in small text when it’s a public poll. I just wish it was more obvious. I always view the results first to confirm whether it’s public or private, before deciding to vote. If the results show me names, I know it’s a public poll. Yes, I do that too. But what if you’re the first…? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-poll-results/519686/11 "2009-12-02T10:32:08Z")
> [@NineToTheSky](#): > > Yes, I do that too. But what if you’re the first…? 🙂 There are always others more eager than I am. Besides, if the OP doesn’t want to vote in her own poll, it’s not a poll I want to be voting in 😃