Fox News Poll Methodology Statement

April 2019

The Fox News Poll is directed by Beacon Research (D) (formerly named Anderson Robbins
Research) and Shaw & Company Research (R). The poll is conducted via telephone among a
nationally representative sample of approximately 1,000 registered voters. Of the completed
interviews, roughly 25 percent are conducted with respondents on landlines and 75 percent with
respondents on cellphones.

Sampling
The Fox News Poll uses a dual-frame sample design encompassing landline and cellphones.
Both the sample components are designed using a probability proportionate to size method,
which means phone numbers for each state are proportional to the number of voters in each state.

The landline sample is developed using random digit dial procedures (RDD), in which all
landline numbers (listed and unlisted) in the continental United States have an equal probability
of being selected.

The cellphone sample is also identified using a probability selection method which involves: (1)
identifying blocks of telephone numbers that are exclusively cellphones; and (2) randomly
generating the last two digits and then dialing these numbers within the block.

In addition, all respondents are screened to ensure they are registered to vote. In states without
registration or same-day registration, respondents are asked about the regularity of their voting
behavior. Before elections, interviewers sometimes screen for “likely voters” through a series of
questions about past voting behavior, vote likelihood, and/or interest in the current election.

Quotas are applied to ensure the sample mirrors the proportions of voters nationally.
Specifically, gender (53 percent female, 47 percent male) and regional quotas are employed.

Interviewing
All interviews for the Fox News Poll are conducted by live interviewers. Furthermore,
interviews are conducted by trained professionals from central, monitored locations. Interviews
are conducted through a computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) system, and both
human supervisors and software monitor each step of the interviewing process.

Dialing is structured such that prospective respondents always find a live interviewer when they
answer their phone. On average, six calls are placed to each unanswered number during the
three-day period when the poll is fielded.

Cellphone respondents are screened to ensure they are not driving or participating in an activity
that requires their full attention.
Weighting
When necessary, minor weights are used to ensure the demographics of survey respondents are
representative of the national registered voter population. Generally, weights are only applied to
age, race, education, and area variables. The Fox News Poll is not weighted by political party.

Accuracy
For a sample of about 1,000 interviews, the error due to sampling is plus or minus 3.1 percentage
points at the 95 percent confidence level. For example, when the survey says “47 percent of
voters…” then the probability is very high that no less than 44 percent and no more than 50
percent of all voters would have responded the same way. Sampling error associated with
subgroup results is higher.

In addition to sampling error, question wording and question order can influence results.