About Florida Atlantic University Political Communication and Public Opinion (PolCom) Lab
The Florida Atlantic University Department of Political Science and the School of Communication and Multimedia Studies in collaboration with Mainstreet Research established the PolCom Lab in 2023 to investigate and analyze public opinion and political trends across the nation, and particularly in the state of Florida.
About Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students across six campuses located along the southeast Florida coast. In recent years, the University has doubled its research expenditures and outpaced its peers in student achievement rates. Through the coexistence of access and excellence, FAU embodies an innovative model where traditional achievement gaps vanish. FAU is designated a Hispanic-serving institution, ranked as a top public university by U.S. News & World Report and a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.
About Mainstreet Research USA
Founded in 2010, Mainstreet Research is recognized as one of Canada’s top public opinion and market research firms. Since our founding, we have been providing actionable and data-driven insights to our clients to help them make their most important evidence-based strategic decisions. Mainstreet Research is a proud corporate member of CRIC and exceeds all Canadian and international standards for market research and public opinion research. For more on U.S. polling, visit https://mainstreetusapoll.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the PolCom Lab do?
Our Florida Atlantic team merges our collective experiences from the worlds of polling, political communication, and journalism to investigate and analyze public opinion and political trends across the nation, and particularly in the state of Florida. Findings from our polls inform local, national, and international media reports, influence university curricula, and drive faculty, student, and industry research.
Why do we partner with Mainstreet Research USA?
Fusing Mainstreet’s data mastery with Florida Atlantic University’s localized strengths and extensive political science and communication expertise creates a formidable knowledge base. This union gives us foresight – elevating our credibility and staying ahead of shifting electoral trends.
Mainstreet Research USA is a Florida polling organization founded by Mainstreet Research, a firm based in Canada. Mainstreet Research brings decades of experience with polling across North America, including experience with daily tracking polls of Canadian federal and Provincial polls, as well as experience correctly forecasting surprise victories in high-profile U.S. elections.
How do we determine our samples?
Our polling utilizes registered voter lists from state election authorities wherever available. When those lists are not accessible, we construct a representative sample frame of eligible, registered voters using vetted data providers. To field our surveys, we employ a multi-mode approach combining Interactive Voice Response (IVR) phone polling and text-to-online probability sampling. This mixed methodology allows us to reach voters through multiple channels and maximize representativeness. We may also incorporate respondents from credible online panels to further enhance younger voter representation in our samples.
This rigorous data collection process, probability-based sampling across modes, and online panel usage adheres to industry best practices. It ensures statistically valid results that accurately capture the full demographic composition of the electorate.
How do we weight our samples?
Our samples may be weighted for age, gender, race, education, region and past vote behavior to mirror the population being surveyed. Methodology details are provided in the full report for each poll on our website.
Do we sample more Democrats, Republicans, or Independents?
Our method relies solely on random probability sampling techniques, with no predetermined partisan quotas or assumptions. This allows the initial sample’s composition to be naturally determined through true randomization. Post-data collection, we may weigh responses to demographic characteristics like age, gender, race, education level, region, and past voter behavior to mirror the target population accurately.
This approach of random sampling followed by population-matching weighting eliminates biases from oversampling. Full methodological details are available in each poll report on our website.
Do we follow guidelines for standards and ethics set by the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) in our work?
Yes. We are guided by AAPOR standards and ethics and always strive to meet or exceed them. Our effort is a dues-paying member of AAROP.
How is our work used?
Our polling insights make waves across the media landscape, spanning the political spectrum. PolCom findings are widely cited by major national outlets, such as Newsweek, MSNBC, ABC News, and Newsmax, as well as important local media outlets in Florida, including The Palm Beach Post, The Sun Sentinel, and WPTV.
How can you retain our services?
If you have interest in public opinion, public sentiment, consumer research, or political polling needs, please reach out to our Co-Directors Dr. Carol Bishop Mills or Dr. Kevin Wagner.
