Utah Push Poll Bill 'Restricts Real Polling' Say Orgs

The Governor of Utah is ready to sign a bill designed to combat 'push polls', but which the MRA and AAPC claim will actually threaten legitimate polling.

Utah H.B. 44 will require almost any survey research regarding a declared political candidate or ballot proposition to disclose information about who sponsored the study to the respondent.

The MRA (Marketing Research Association) and the AAPC (American Association of Political Consultants) are concerned that the law will potentially insert bias into bona fide survey and opinion research results in Utah, and taint all research in the eyes of the public by equating polling with advertising.

Despite a grassroots advocacy campaign among researchers in the state, the bill is still poised to be passed.

AAPC Chairman Whit Ayres (pictured) comments: 'It is unfortunate that some legislators confuse negative advocacy phone calls with legitimate scientific research. We urge the Governor to veto this bill in the interest of legitimate research.'

MRA and AAPC say they submitted an amendment, rejected by legislators, which would have targeted the 'bad guys' engaging in potentially deceptive behavior, instead of 'good guys' conducting real research.

Web sites: www.marketingresearch.org and ww.theaapc.org .