I don’t like public polls on this forum. They do not give any option for a private response, while a private poll still has the option of a public response by posting to the thread. I think polls would be more informative if they were all private, because of increased participation.
What do you think?
If you don’t like them, then just don’t participate in them. Why should they be banned just because they’re not your cup of tea?
If you think that a private poll would garner better responses, then try making one each time you see a public poll, and let’s find out.
I think that, in many cases, private polls are preferable for the reasons you state, but that there are plenty of other polls for which it doesn’t matter, and so it makes no sense to make a rule about this.
I thought for sure when I opened this thread it would be a public poll!
How many people would decline to participate in a poll about whether or not hot dogs are sandwiches, or whether or not they liked the latest episode of The Walking Dead, just because it was a public poll?
How do I know if the poll is public or private?
Well, you can click on “View Results” before answering the poll.
If you don’t like something, ignore it. Don’t like public polls? Ignore them, or start your own private poll asking the same question.
No reason to ban something from everyone just because you don’t like it.
I don’t think I’d want to be “on the record” in regard to hot dogs. I might decide to run for political office one of these days.
I’m generally averse to public polls, but they do have their occasional uses. For example, we can find out who likes zombie jokes. That makes it easier to shame and ostracize those people.
i disagree completely.
It was oh so tempting to make it public. 
As of this post, 6 of the 17 respondents to the poll do not respond to public polls.
It is useful for awards voting (Oscars, various sports HoF’s, or even elections, etc.).
Public polls say “public” above the list of choices (unless I’m being whooshed).
Example here: https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=853948
I don’t care much either way but in general I only believe that polls about polls should be banned. I would also put a tax on all people who stand in water.
Notice the subtle way I slipped that one in?
I’ve seen people in other threads who say they have a blanket rule that they never vote in public polls under any circumstance. I don’t understand; what’s the point? How is voting in a public poll inherently different than posting in a thread and saying “I, too, believe a hot dog is a sandwich?”
The point is that voting in a private poll is not like posting in a thread.
I’ll bet you’re dying to know who.
Personally, I think the private polls should be banned. Particularly for the contentious issues.
It’s not like they’re scientific.
Ohh. Public. Never mind. :smack:
Too much pee in public pools, so I stay out.