Push Polling Our household received one of the recent "Polling calls" from John Barrett's campaign, or a group that has an interest in seeing him re-elected. While not your typical, over the top push poll, the questions about "financial leadership" versus "change" were most definitely designed to evoke a certain answer.

More importantly, these polls were not confidential. They are designed to tell whoever is paying for them exactly who is voting for whom for mayor...

And THAT is very bothersome.

Unlike scientific polls, where names of voters are separated from the calling list, the pollster knew exactly who she was talking to. The caller asked for the voter by name.

Depending on your point of view, in a city this small, disguising a campaign call as a poll could even be interpreted as intimidation.

What you will likely see come out of this is a campaign ad, run by the Mayor's committee (or some group closely connected), that claims that a majority of North Adams' voters want strong financial leadership during the current crisis, inferring that John Barrett is the person that those polled are going to vote for. And, of course, that is not what the questions asked.

It bothers me that somebody thinks that North Adams voters are this naive.

UPDATE: Jen Huberdeau writes a solidly straightforward piece that fills in a few of the gaps. "No comment" indeed.  ¶ 6:52 PM