Uploaded May 2020 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago

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During political elections, news organizations often use public opinion polls to help gauge which candidate is the front runner, and why. University of Michigan's Dr. Vincent Hutchings explains the science of random sampling that makes it possible to query a few hundred or thousand people and use that data to accurately determine how the general public might vote. "Science Behind the News" is produced in partnership with the National Science Foundation.