Question

In a recent poll, 71% of respondents reported that they cast votes in the most recent national election. Voting records show, however, that only 60% of eligible voters actually voted in that election.

Which of the following pieces of evidence, if true, would provide the best explanation for the apparent discrepancy?
A The margin of error for the survey was plus or minus five three percentage points.
B Fifteen percent of the survey's respondents were living overseas at the time of the election.
C Prior research has shown that that people who actually do vote are also more likely to respond to polls than those who do not vote.
D Many people who intend to vote are prevented from doing so by last-minute conflicts on election day or other complications.
E Some people confused the national election with other recent elections when responding to the poll.

Answer 1

Many people who intend to vote are prevented from doing so by last-minute conflicts on election day or other complications.

Step-by-step explanation:

The best explanation for the apparent discrepancy between the poll results and voting records is option D - Many people who intend to vote are prevented from doing so by last-minute conflicts on election day or other complications. This is because voting records show the percentage of eligible voters who actually voted, while the poll surveyed respondents about whether they cast votes. Last-minute conflicts or complications can prevent people who intended to vote from actually doing so, leading to a discrepancy between the two numbers.

For example, if someone planned to vote in the national election but had an unexpected last-minute conflict, they would be included in the survey's respondents who reported that they cast a vote, but they would not be included in the actual voting records.