Brief Canadian political survey

[Chaos_Seer]

Hey all!

I'm a new poster here. I've had it in mind to spread out large, online surveys as well as paper-surveys around Canada to ask about the opinions of Canadian voters through five simple questions.

My survey can be found here:
Questionnaire--Canadian Post-Election Survey

As I said, it's only five questions, all of which are multiple choice. Thanks for your support!

Spencer

 

[gerryh]

choices were too limited and did not reflect the why's of how I voted and for whom.

 

[Chaos_Seer]

Thanks for the opinion. How would you suggest I make the survey more varied?

 

[scratch]

choices were too limited and did not reflect the why's of how I voted and for whom.

I would have to agree with gerryh.

 

[scratch]

Thanks for the opinion. How would you suggest I make the survey more varied?

As a straight forward survey it is fine.
Perhaps you might compare the platforms of each party.
Or the character of each leader.
Is one party better suited to lead than another.
Etc.

Without losing your original intent of the survey.

 

[Chaos_Seer]

I suspect that a great amount of Canadians are increasing in personal distrust and dislike of all current political parties. My poll is really an attempt to see if my suspicions have any bearing in reality. Comparing the different political parties through a poll would likely be very educational to those who know little about their favored parties opinions, but it would detract from the purpose of the survey.

I try to give enough leeway where a person can essentially say "I really like my party", "I prefer my party over all others" or "I don't like any particular party" (or varying combination of opinions).

 

[Dexter Sinister]

I suspect that a great amount of Canadians are increasing in personal distrust and dislike of all current political parties. My poll is really an attempt to see if my suspicions have any bearing in reality.

I suspect you're right, but you won't be able to demonstrate it with any confidence by this poll, you can't get a representative sample this way, and you'd need several polls over several years to demonstrate an increase in what you're trying to measure.

 

[Chaos_Seer]

Fortunately I plan on making several polls over several years . Online polls can be very biased, especially since people can vote several times if they're clever enough. I'm using it as part of an experiment revolving around combining online and offline polling strategies. I live in Barrie, Ontario and so my offline polls will start there.

 

[Kreskin]

4* Why would you have selected your choice for question #3? No better party to pick from ("Lesser of six evils") I'm morally obligated to vote for this party My friends and family all voted this way. I didn't want to waste my vote.

What about the many who voted because they thought the party did a good job? The way #4 is worded it assumes everyone voted for negative reasons.

 

[darkbeaver]

You forget the CAP Canadian Action Party.

 

[Chaos_Seer]

Fortunately I plan on making several polls over several years . Online polls can be very biased, especially since people can vote several times if they're clever enough. I'm using it as part of an experiment revolving around combining online and offline polling strategies. I live in Barrie, Ontario and so my offline polls will start there.

I didn't mean to make all four options sound negative. "I didn't want to waste my vote" was meant to refer to strategic voting, being 'morally obligated' was meant to imply that you vote because you think it is morally right to vote for that party (which is pretty much thinking the party does a good job) and voting in line with family or friends is neither inherently positive or negative. I know people personally who don't want to keep up with the political parties, but instead place their trust in their friends and families knowledge of the parties and vote with them.

You forget the CAP Canadian Action Party.

The CAP is considered independent, as are the Christian Heritage, Marxist-Leninist, Libertarian, Progressive Canadian, Communits, Marijuana, Newfoundland and Labrador First, First Peoples Nation, Animal Alliance Environment Voters, Work Less, Western's Block, People's Political and Neo Rhino (LOL) parties. All of these are then considered under "Independant".

 

[Chaos_Seer]

Given the feedback about my questions, I'm going to create a new, more flexible online survey soon.

The first change that I'm going to do is, on the last question about the party representing you both practically and morally, I'll change from "Yes" or "No" to six options, three inbetween the "Yes" and "No" as well as "I know little to nothing about my parties particular agendas" or some such thing.

If there are any other opinions on to how I can make my survey more detailed without losing sight of the goal, please feel free to offer your opinion.

I may also re-word the choices on question #4 to make them more neutral.

 

[Socrates the Greek]

As a straight forward survey it is fine.
Perhaps you might compare the platforms of each party.
Or the character of each leader.
Is one party better suited to lead than another.
Etc.

Without losing your original intent of the survey.

Good day to you scratch, great points on your reply......and as Dexter mentioned this would need many years in order to get an accurate consensus.

 

[Chaos_Seer]

And as I mentioned, I'm willing to persist on this for several years . His points were very good, and I have yet to receive a reply without valid points. I have also yet to have replies to my replies, however.

 

[Socrates the Greek]

And as I mentioned, I'm willing to persist on this for several years . His points were very good, and I have yet to receive a reply without valid points. I have also yet to have replies to my replies, however.

Keep up the drive....

 

[Chaos_Seer]

Hmm?

 

[Chaos_Seer]

So far, I have made two changes to my quiz. Here are the revised questions:


4.Why would you have selected your choice for question #3?

A)No better party to pick from (“Lesser of six evils”)
B)This party has done or will do a great job leading Canada.
C)I am morally obligated to vote for them.
D)My friends and family all voted this way.
E)I didn’t want to waste my vote.
And

5.Would you say that your preferred party represents your opinions both morally and practically?

A)Completely.
B)Mostly.
C)Kind of.
D)Mostly not.
E)Not at all.
F)I don’t know enough about my party to say.




I do not think these should be the only changes however. I really would like another question, but can't think of anything that would help to say whether my suspicions are correct or not ( "I suspect that a great amount of Canadians are increasing in personal distrust and dislike of all current political parties. My poll is really an attempt to see if my suspicions have any bearing in reality")

 

[scratch]

So far, I have made two changes to my quiz. Here are the revised questions:


4.Why would you have selected your choice for question #3?

A)No better party to pick from (“Lesser of six evils”)
B)This party has done or will do a great job leading Canada.
C)I am morally obligated to vote for them.
D)My friends and family all voted this way.
E)I didn’t want to waste my vote.
And

5.Would you say that your preferred party represents your opinions both morally and practically?

A)Completely.
B)Mostly.
C)Kind of.
D)Mostly not.
E)Not at all.
F)I don’t know enough about my party to say.




I do not think these should be the only changes however. I really would like another question, but can't think of anything that would help to say whether my suspicions are correct or not ( "I suspect that a great amount of Canadians are increasing in personal distrust and dislike of all current political parties. My poll is really an attempt to see if my suspicions have any bearing in reality")

In my opinion you are heading in the right direction. But pare it down a bit and be more direct. Considering our electorate you have (to my way of thinking) taken on quite the project.
Best of luck to you.
Sincere Regards,
scratch

 

[Chaos_Seer]

Thanks for your comment. I welcome the challenge that this task presents... There is a truth to everything, and a right direction to any such truth. I have years and I'm willing to make full use of that time.