Why are exit polls controversial in the American electoral process?
A.
Exit polls can never be completely random.****
B.
Exit polls take too much time to conduct.
C.
Exit polls can affect the election while it is in progress.
D.
Exit polls turn politicians into followers.
The correct answer is A. Exit polls can never be completely random.
Exit polls in the American electoral process are controversial for several reasons. One of the main reasons is that exit polls can never be completely random. This means that there is always a potential for bias or inaccuracies in the results. Exit polls typically involve surveying a sample of voters as they leave the polling station to gather information about how they voted and why. However, the selection process for these voters is not always truly random. Factors such as the location and timing of the polling stations, as well as the demographics of the voters surveyed, can introduce biases into the results.
Another reason why exit polls are controversial is that they can potentially influence the election while it is still in progress. The release of early exit poll results can create a bandwagon effect, where voters may be influenced by the apparent outcome of the election based on these preliminary results. This can potentially impact the voters who have not yet cast their ballots, as well as discourage or motivate certain groups of voters. To mitigate this issue, news organizations in the United States have agreed to a voluntary code of conduct not to release exit poll results until after the polls have closed in all states.
It is important to note that exit polls do not turn politicians into followers (option D) and they do not take too much time to conduct (option B). Rather, the primary controversy lies in the inherent limitations of exit polls in terms of randomness and the potential impact they can have on the ongoing election process.