# Public Vs. Private polls **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 4, 2014, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-vs-private-polls/689984 "2014-06-04T02:09:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-vs-private-polls/689984/1 "2014-06-04T02:09:18Z")
In a recent poll, **drachillix** left the public poll indicator checked, and asked a Mod if it could be fixed, and **Idle Thoughts** was able to change it to a private poll. Are moderators also able to change private polls to public polls? If so, will people who voted when it was still private be “outed”, or only new voters? Are moderators able to see who voted which way, even in private polls? I’m wondering how “private” private polls are. (I don’t recall any particularly scandalaous polls I’ve voted in, but in the future, you never know.) ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-vs-private-polls/689984/2 "2014-06-04T13:04:49Z")
I don’t know offhand. Start a private poll here in ATMB as a test, and we’ll see if a mod can switch it or not. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-vs-private-polls/689984/3 "2014-06-04T14:35:00Z")
The mods can make public polls private, but we cannot turn private polls into public ones. And we can’t see who voted in private polls. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-vs-private-polls/689984/4 "2014-06-04T15:11:48Z")
Although the data exists since a private poll will still tell you which option you picked, so I’d assume the right sql query could get you that information. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-vs-private-polls/689984/5 "2014-06-04T16:28:45Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > I don’t know offhand. Start a private poll here in ATMB as a test, and we’ll see if a mod can switch it or not. Now I wish I had thought to start a private poll with this question… **Inner Stickler** has a good point. Even if Mods can’t see how people voted in a private poll, maybe Admins can. Or maybe just Jerry. But yeah, the information has to exist somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-vs-private-polls/689984/6 "2014-06-04T16:30:30Z")
> [@ZenBeam](#): > > Now I wish I had thought to start a private poll with this question… I started two polls in one of the Mod forums to test it. That’s why I can confirm the switching only goes one way. > [@](#): > > **Inner Stickler** has a good point. Even if Mods can’t see how people voted in a private poll, maybe Admins can. Or maybe just Jerry. But yeah, the information has to exist somewhere. We can’t test that right now because only Jerry has those privileges. I’ll say I can’t remember seeing an option to make private polls into public ones, but I didn’t look specifically. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-vs-private-polls/689984/7 "2014-06-04T18:05:23Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I started two polls in one of the Mod forums to test it. That’s why I can confirm the switching only goes one way. Thanks for being less lazy than me… 🙂