push poll meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

push poll

noun

Etymology From push (“to sell or promote”) + poll (“survey”). Also references pull, the opposite of push.

An opinion poll designed to produce specific results and promote a certain narrative by influencing the views of respondents.

The local paper has just released the results of what can only be described as a push poll. The pollsters fed numerous cherry-picked data points and statistics to respondents before asking their opinions on newly proposed government policies. There can be no doubt that the results would have been different had those interviewed not been led to the conclusions the pollsters wanted.

verb

Etymology From push (“to sell or promote”) + poll (“survey”). Also references pull, the opposite of push.

To conduct a push poll or make use of push polls as a campaign or marketing technique.

He was push polling, shaping opinion, manipulating as much as measuring.2003, Chris Benson, Special Interest, →ISBN, page 15:
The questions asked by a pollster who is push polling are designed more to implant negative information than to find out how the voter actually feels.2006, Deborah Phillips, Longman preparation course for the TOEFL test, →ISBN, page 578:

1 more example

First, whenever candidates are upset with the polling strategies of their opponents, they seem to immediately allege that their opponents are push polling, but do not seem to completely understand exactly what a push poll is.2012, Michael A. Genovese, Matthew J. Streb, Polls and Politics: The Dilemmas of Democracy, →ISBN, page 105: