What happened with polling in 2016 and what's changed for 2018? How can polling be useful (and affordable) for down ballot campaigns? Does polling tell us if there's going to be a Blue Wave this year? If so, how big? polling is for you! This week's episode answers all of that, and more!  In this week’s episode of the Election University podcast, our hosts Reiny Cohen and Jason Bennett talk with Russ Swindell, Chief Client Strategist with Public Policy Polling, to bring you the insider tips and tricks to get the most affordable, accurate, and timely polling for your campaign.

Public Policy Polling (PPP) provides a highly-accurate alternative to expensive, traditional telephone surveys. Rated one of the highest performing pollsters in the United States, Public Policy Polling conducts thousands thousands of polls across the country for progressive candidates and causes up and down the ballot. The company specializes in Integrated Voice Response Polling, which is an affordable and efficient survey delivered to a landline via a recorded system. Integrated Voice Response Polling allows Public Policy Polling to deliver accurate results at a fraction of the cost of traditional pollsters.

Our guest Russ Swindell has worked for PPP as a client strategist for more than three and a half years. Previously, Russ spent 14 years as the Chief of Staff to Congressman Bob Etheridge of North Carolina.

If you are interested in conducting a poll for your local election or you want to learn more about Public Policy Polling, send an email to information@publicpolicypoling.com. You can also keep up with the latest updates on cutting-edge research and follow races across the country by subscribing to their newsletter. You can also follow PPP on twitter @ppppolls and on Facebook.

Listeners, consider this a very informal poll: did you like this week’s episode? Do you have your own insider tips for getting affordable, accurate polls? Are you going to invest in polling this November? Let us know what you think by emailing us at podcast@ElectionU.com or leaving a note in the comment section below.

You can listen to the show right here on the EU website or by subscribing in iTunes, Apple Podcasts, GooglePlay, Spotify, Stitcher, Soundcloud, iHeartRadio, and more! If you do subscribe, please leave us a rating and review. We love the feedback and we read every one! If you'd like to hear a particular topic on our podcast, please email podcast@electionu.com. As always, thanks for listening!