EXIT POLL – MECHANISM TO INFLUENCE

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“There is not logic in conducting a sociological survey in Armenia, since the results depend on the person who orders the survey which never reflects the reality”, said politician Aghasy Yenokyan. He considers that everyone presents already predetermined results.

“Local specialists carry out “Gelap” surveys, thus, they distort everything. Sociology has turned to a preaching in Armenia, and that allows us not trust in sociological surveys”. We should remind that the US Charge d’Affair offered the RA Prime Minister to conduct an exit poll, and the latter agreed.

“Sociometer” research center has carried out an exit poll and their results differ from official results in 10 percent. Aharon Adibekyan, head of “Sociometer” notices that the results of an exit poll cannot reflect the reality completely, since the survey has certain conditions and people do not answer to the questions frankly. “When the gap between the opposition and the main opponent is great, there is a sense to conduct an exit poll, for example 25 percent and 50 percent difference, but when it is 51-49 percent, there is not logic in conducting an exit poll”. Aharon Adibekyan considers that independent and neutral organizations should conduct exit polls.

According to Alexander Iskandaryan, if a certain political power carries out the survey, it is done not for the purposes to study the situation, but to influence on the situation. “Since political parties are not interested in the situation on the election’s day, they are engaged in the elections, they want to know the public’s opinion before the election’s day to be able to correct the strategy before the election’s day. Thus, the aim of exit poll is to influence. For example, Sahakashvili started to celebrate his victory based on the results of exit poll, which is not correct”.

Alexander Iskandaryan prioritizes the technologies for conducting exit polls – who conducts the survey, how it is done and where it is done. As a rule, exit polls are implemented at available places. “People in Yerevan and in Sisian vote differently, the pictures vary. Thus, some may carry out the survey here, others – there”, says Alexander Iskandaryan. Summing up his opinion on the results of exit poll, he said: “The publications of the results of exit polls are simply mechanisms to influence on electorate”.