Question

What is one way opinion polls can affect the outcome of an election?

Answer 1

Opinion polls can influence the voter's decision because they give an overview of the most likely outcome of the election. In this way, voters can change their votes to boost or prevent the advance of a particular candidate, a "useful vote".

For example, if the voter is going to vote for a candidate C, but the polls indicate that candidates A and B are technically tied and the voter does not want candidate A. If by examination candidate C has no prospect of victory, the voter may vote for candidate B, in order to avoid the victory of A.

Answer 2

One way that affects the outcome of an election is reasoned below;

- Those people who haven’t voted or not yet voting could affect the outcome as the results would change depending on the remaining people that have not yet vote.