The era of informal polling techniques came to an end and was replaced by more scientifically based systems
A) that relied on the records of automobile registrations and telephone directories to determine the proper demographic samples of Americans who polled about their views on political affairs.
B) after a popular news magazine in 1936 mistakenly predicted Alf Landon the winner in the presidential election over FDR.
C) when television began to play an increasingly important role in forecasting elections.
D) when advertisers decided that polling was useless for the purposes of marketing.
E) after a popular new magazine in 1940 mistakenly predicted that Republican presidential nominee Wendell Willkie over FDR.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The era of informal polling ended after the 1936 presidential election when a popular news magazine, The Literary Digest, incorrectly predicted Alf Landon would win over FDR, highlighting the need for more scientific polling methods.

The Era of Informal Polling Techniques Came to an End