Polling's Dramatic Evolution

A new Pew Research Center study shows a strikingly fast-paced evolution in how public opinion research is conducted. In 2022, more than 61 percent of national pollsters used methods they did not use in 2016. The study also finds the use of multiple methods increasing. Last year, 17 percent of national pollsters used at least three different methods to sample or interview people, up from two percent in 2016.

These findings are consistent with our work and our view that mixing methods is a good idea because every individual method has its own strengths and weaknesses. This Pew graphic is a great starting point for understanding the landscape of methodologies.