Residents weigh in on bogus poll

Written by Marla Hoffman
Thursday, 29 October 2009 10:56

What if it were possible to know the probable outcome of an election before the official vote even happens?

Sometimes colleges, like Quinnipiac University’s Polling Institute, call from a random list of telephone numbers, polling residents about their views on a particular issue.

Last Friday, Saturday and Sunday, some Monroe residents received such calls. The problem is it wasn’t really the Quinnipiac Poll making the calls. Apparently it was a hoax.

According to reports from several residents who received the calls, an automated voice asked them to press one for Buzi, two for Vavrek — and then the call would end.

The automated message didn’t identify the call as coming from the Quinnipiac Poll, but caller ID said the call was from Quinnipiac University and showed a university number that is currently not in service.

Suspiciously, some residents said, there was no “thank you for participating,” or greeting of any kind.

But according to the university, this was not an official Quinnipiac University sponsored poll.

“Quinnipiac University is in no way involved with the calls in question,” said Lynn Bushnell vice president for public affairs. “We have been advised that it is possible to create a fake caller ID on a phone call. The university’s Polling Institute does not do municipal polling in Connecticut.

“The Polling Institute does municipal surveys in New York City and statewide polling in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida and Ohio. In addition, the Polling Institute releases survey’s on national issues.”

According to Monroe Town Clerk Marsha Motter Beno, who received a call at her home Friday night at 8:30 p.m., the caller ID said Quinnipiac University along with the number, 203-582-8555.

Beno received 8 to 10 calls from other residents Monday and Tuesday asking about the survey, each who had the same experience.

Upon call back of the number, a voice tells the listener, “The Quinnipiac University number you have reached is not in service. Please hang up and try your call again.”

But the university, which only issued the brief statement above, denies any official involvement in the calls.

A woman who answered the phone at the school’s Polling Institute would not comment.

Follow this story as it develops on monroecourier.com.