The MassINC Polling Group and WBUR renew partnership through 2020
Massachusetts’ longest running polling partnership extended for two years.
BOSTON - July 31, 2018 - The MassINC Polling Group (MPG) is pleased to announce the renewal of their public opinion research partnership with 90.9 WBUR, Boston’s NPR news station, through June 2020. The relationship, which began in 2011, marks the longest and most prolific media-polling pairing in Massachusetts. Heading into the 2018 and 2020 election cycles, the two-year agreement ensures the public’s viewpoint will be heard in critical conversations in a time of historic political upheaval.
The WBUR poll, conducted by MPG, will keep pulse on important issues and elections facing Massachusetts residents and the broader New England region. The poll gained international attention in 2015, when it tracked voter opinion towards Boston hosting the 2024 Summer Olympics. The Boston bid was eventually pulled, due in part of a lack of public support.
The WBUR poll has measured public opinion on key policy issues such as education, transportation, taxes, healthcare, marijuana legalization, gun safety, and many others. In the wake of the Parkland shootings, the poll found strong support for various gun safety measures, including the “red flag” bill that recently became state law. The WBUR poll has also played a key role in WBUR’s coverage of key issues, such as the recent series on the 25th anniversary of the state’s education reform law.
“Polling is a way for the public’s voice to be heard,” said Steve Koczela, President of MPG. “In a time when many political trends are toward disempowering everyday people, polling pushes in the other direction, bringing the voice of the public to the table. We are very pleased to continue our long and successful partnership with WBUR, listening to the public’s thoughts, ideas, and concerns.”
The WBUR poll also has a strong track record predicting election results, earning an A- rating from FiveThirtyEight. The poll came within a point of the final margin in the 2016 presidential elections in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. The WBUR poll has been an accurate predictor of every Massachusetts statewide general election since its founding in 2012.
As part of the extension, MPG will continue to provide analysis and commentary about each WBUR poll on air and at WBUR.org. MPG President Steve Koczela will also become a regular WBUR contributor commenting on politics during elections and other special events.
About The MassINC Polling Group (MPG): The MassINC Polling Group is a full-service opinion research company serving public, private, and social sector organizations. MPG started in Boston with a local and state-level focus and now serves a national client base. MPG conducts and releases more public opinion research on Massachusetts than any other polling organization. MPG President Steve Koczela has written and commented extensively on public opinion and data analysis for both media and academic publications.