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| MassINC Polling Group | |
|---|---|
| Name | MassINC Polling Group |
| Type | Nonprofit polling firm |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Key people | William H. White, John Della Volpe, Henry E. Brady |
| Area served | Massachusetts, New England, United States |
MassINC Polling Group is a nonprofit research organization based in Boston focused on public opinion in Massachusetts, New England, and the United States. It conducts surveys, publishes reports, and collaborates with media outlets, academic institutions, and policy organizations such as the Pew Research Center, Harvard Kennedy School, and The Boston Globe. The group’s work informs political campaigns, civic leaders, and journalists covering events like the Massachusetts gubernatorial election and national contests including the United States presidential election.
MassINC Polling Group states a mission of measuring public attitudes across issues affecting residents of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and the broader New England region. It engages with partners including the Associated Press, WBUR, Boston Herald, and academic centers such as Tufts University and Northeastern University to provide data for coverage of contests like the United States Senate election in Massachusetts and policy debates in the Massachusetts General Court. The organization aims to produce timely polling for stakeholders such as mayors, state legislators, and civic advocates tied to initiatives like ballot questions and municipal referendums.
Founded in 2003 as part of the Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth network, the Polling Group grew amid a landscape including institutions like the Gallup Poll, Roper Center, and Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. Leadership has included prominent figures from academia and journalism who have connections to institutions such as Harvard University, Boston University, Suffolk University, and Brandeis University. The organization has collaborated with media partners including WBZ-TV, WCVB-TV, and national outlets like The New York Times and The Washington Post for statewide and federal election coverage, and has worked with civic groups linked to mayors and governors such as Deval Patrick and Charlie Baker.
The Polling Group employs survey techniques comparable to those used by the Pew Research Center, Ipsos, and YouGov, including probability sampling, mixed-mode interviewing, and weighting to mirror demographics recorded by agencies such as the United States Census Bureau and data from the American Community Survey. For electoral polling it tracks likely voter models similar to methods used by FiveThirtyEight and the Cook Political Report. Sample frames often reference voter rolls maintained by Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth and registration data tied to counties such as Suffolk County and Middlesex County. Its questionnaires have been cited alongside academic polling standards from the American Association for Public Opinion Research and methodological discussions at conferences like the American Political Science Association annual meeting.
The group’s statewide polls have covered high-profile contests including the 2004 United States Senate election in Massachusetts, the 2010 Massachusetts gubernatorial election, and presidential primaries involving figures such as Mitt Romney, Scott Brown, and Elizabeth Warren. Findings have informed coverage of policy debates on topics linked to agencies such as the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and initiatives championed by leaders including Gavin Newsom (as a comparative case) and local reformers. Reports have been used by outlets such as Politico, The Boston Globe, and The Wall Street Journal to contextualize trends in approval ratings for executives like Charlie Baker and to measure public sentiment on ballot questions similar to those in California Proposition campaigns.
MassINC Polling Group’s data is frequently cited by broadcasters and newspapers including WBUR, WGBH, CBS Boston, and The Boston Globe and republished in national outlets such as NPR and The New York Times. Its work has been referenced by analysts at the Cook Political Report, commentators on networks like CNN and MSNBC, and researchers at think tanks such as the Brookings Institution and American Enterprise Institute when discussing regional political dynamics. The organization’s influence extends to campaign strategists, consultants from firms akin to Gottlieb Strategic Advisors and Glen Kopp & Associates, and academic researchers studying electoral behavior at institutions like Harvard Kennedy School and MIT.
As a nonprofit entity related to the Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth, the Polling Group receives support from foundations and donors similar to funders of organizations like the Bancroft Family Fund, Pew Charitable Trusts, and regional philanthropic entities tied to families such as the Koch family and Walton family in broader philanthropy discussions. Its governance includes an advisory board drawing from leaders in academia, journalism, and civic life with ties to institutions such as Harvard University, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and media organizations including The Boston Globe and WBUR. Financial oversight aligns with standards used by nonprofit research centers like the Urban Institute and reporting norms under state filings with the Massachusetts Attorney General.
Critiques of the Polling Group have mirrored debates raised about pollsters including Gallup, Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, and Rasmussen Reports concerning sampling error, turnout models, and question wording effects observed in contests like the 2016 United States presidential election and the 2020 United States presidential election. Commentators from outlets such as The Atlantic, FiveThirtyEight, and The Washington Post have discussed challenges pollsters face with underrepresented demographics recorded by the United States Census Bureau and weighting adjustments referenced by the American Association for Public Opinion Research. Occasional disputes with political campaigns and media partners over interpretation of results mirror controversies seen in the field involving institutions like Emerson College polling and university-affiliated survey centers.
Category:Public opinion research organizations