# What if lying to pollsters became trendy?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-lying-to-pollsters-became-trendy/623210>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [May 27, 2012, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-lying-to-pollsters-became-trendy/623210 "2012-05-27T00:11:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2012, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-lying-to-pollsters-became-trendy/623210/1 "2012-05-27T00:11:40Z")

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What kind of effect would it have on the fall elections if it suddenly became the trend to lie to pollsters?

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**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2012, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-lying-to-pollsters-became-trendy/623210/2 "2012-05-27T00:41:50Z")

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The first thing that would happen is that the pollsters would notice the unanticipated change in opinion by various groups. Then they’d start oversampling those groups to see whether it was statistical error or an actual shift in response.

Assuming everyone continued to lie the first change would probably come in the form of campaign messaging. If everyone, for example, said they were delighted with the economy, the Romney campaign might start emphasizing tax reform, for example.

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**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2012, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-lying-to-pollsters-became-trendy/623210/3 "2012-05-27T00:44:18Z")

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There would be more pandering to Jedi fundamentalists.

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**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2012, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-lying-to-pollsters-became-trendy/623210/4 "2012-05-27T01:08:13Z")

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You mean you tell pollsters the truth? Your real feelings? :eek: Heavens to Gallup!

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**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2012, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-lying-to-pollsters-became-trendy/623210/5 "2012-05-27T01:53:04Z")

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I’ve been lying to them (and promoting lying to them) since 2006! As soon as I figure out what they’re pushing, I give them all sorts of crap. Heaven help me if they ever pass a law that you have to tell the truth to pollsters!