Analysts Demand Polling Transparency After Philippine Election Gaps
Political researchers are calling for systematic auditing of polling firms following significant discrepancies in Philippine and U.S. election data.
Political analysts and researchers are calling for greater transparency and systematic auditing of political polling after discrepancies emerged in Philippine and U.S. election data. In the Philippines, results from the May 2025 midterm elections showed gaps between pre-election surveys and final tallies for candidates Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan. Further variance appeared in 2026 polling for the 2028 Senate race, specifically regarding candidate Grace Poe, where Pulse Asia and OCTA Research reported differing results.
Experts attribute these divergences to variations in candidate lists, question wording, and sampling methods, such as the use of online panels versus face-to-face probability samples. Luke Skorich, president of a research group, noted that caller ID and scam calls have made it increasingly difficult to reach a representative electorate.
To improve reliability, analysts suggest that polling firms routinely publish their fieldwork dates, weighting details, and questionnaires to facilitate public post-election audits. This push for accountability follows a similar review by the American Association for Public Opinion Research, which analyzed 611 publicly released polls from the 2024 U.S. elections.
