L.A. Pollster Shuts Down

A mysterious polling firm admitted fake election surveys were a social experiment and closed.

•Balanced

Mysterious polling firm behind fake election surveys closes after admitting ‘social experiment’

The fake L.A. mayor poll adds to challenges facing the public opinion industry

Fake polls in Wisconsin and California were part of a ‘social experiment’

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Analysis & opinion

The reporting

A neutral summary of the key facts most outlets agree on, drawn from reporting across the political spectrum.

Median Strategies said on Aug. 17 that it fabricated election surveys showing Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong leading their races, calling the releases a “short-term social experiment.” The firm withdrew its polls, told readers not to cite them as genuine, and announced it had concluded the project and would publish no additional surveys. One withdrawn poll showed Hong ahead by more than 20 points in Wisconsin’s Democratic primary, while another showed Bass gaining ground in her reelection race. The fabricated data had circulated through campaigns and political media before the firm’s admission.

Analysis & opinion

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Fake polls harmBalanced

Fabricated or suspicious polling is a real threat because it can distort political narratives and media coverage before anyone verifies it. It also worsens public distrust in polling, especially when the numbers appear unusually favorable to particular candidates or ideological camps.

Candidate complicityLeans Right

Politicians who benefit from or promote fraudulent polling deserve scrutiny, because those bogus numbers can shape coverage in their favor. Touting or profiting from fake polls reflects badly on the candidates involved, not just on the pollsters who produced them.