'Pure and simple fraud': Marquette poll director discusses fake poll released during Wisconsin primary
CBS 58 OZAUKEE COUNTY, Wis. (CBS 58) — Earlier this week, a bogus entity claiming to be a polling company called Median Strategies shut down its operations, saying polls it released in Wisconsin and two other states were completely fabricated.
A message posted to the company's website said polls showing Francesca Hong leading the Democratic primary for governor by double digits were fake and had been created as a "short-term social experiment."
CBS 58 News did not use or share the company's polls during the primary campaign.
There was no mention of who was behind the fake polls or why they were created. But the situation has raised questions about the influence polls can have, regardless of their reliability.
In Ozaukee County Wednesday evening, Aug. 19, Dr. Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette Law School Poll, discussed the role polling can play in elections.
He said while the fake polls were exposed fairly quickly, the incident highlights the potential impact of fraudulent polling.
"We're all vulnerable to fraud," Franklin said. "And that's what this is. It's pure and simple fraud committed on the American public by putting out a truly fraudulent poll."
Franklin said the first Marquette Law School Poll of the general election season is now in the field to gauge how voters feel about Democratic nominee David Crowley and Republican nominee Tom Tiffany.
That poll is expected to be released Wednesday, Aug. 26.
