PPP released a new poll yesterday showing Gov. Bev Perdue’s job approval rating “on the rise” from 25% last month to 27% this month.
The N&O echoed the sentiment saying that Perdue’s numbers “may be turning around.” Well, yes, they may be turning around, but PPP’s poll, despite their claims, show her numbers statistically the same as they were the previous month. A two point move in the polls is statistically insignificant when you factor in a poll’s margin of error.
According to PPP’s release, the margin of error of their polling is 3.6 percent. So her approval rating this month is really 27% +/- 3.6%. So it could be anywhere from 23.4% to 30.6%. It could very well be 25% just like last month’s. (Which if you apply the same margin of error could have been as high as 28.6%).
When results remain in side the margin of error, that is not a “bump” or “tick up” or anything else indicating a rise in the job approval numbers. When her approval numbers go up outside the original margin of error, then we can talk about her numbers rising. Until then, a more accurate press release and news paper article would have stated her numbers were flat over last month.
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