Hebron Dollars & Sense

Town website has the sample exit poll posted. Encourage ALL of you to fill it in.
CLICK here to view sample

Results of the referendum are generally available an hour or so following the close of the polls - hopefully someone will post them, since we don't get newspaper coverage anymore.

As for the exit poll, I think its a good idea, but I also hope the data is tabulated properly - we don't necessarily want them to be misinterpretted, by looking at the totals only.

The referendum is May 4th, and the BOE has a board meeting shortly after that. Hopefully they will not only be able to look at the results for ADK question in total, but also how many people felt the HBOE budget was too low or acceptable, but nevertheless were not in favor of ADK. I'm guessing that many of the people who feel the BOE budget is too high will correlate highly to "no" on the ADK issue.

ADK will have its share of supporters - I don't think its a slam dunk either way.

How are they tabulating data like this - perhaps 1,500 voters turn out, so maybe there will be 1200 exit polls completed - can provide meaningful feedback and direction to the BOS, BOF, and BOE - whether they choose to ignore it or not. The total number is small enough that they should be able to get meaningful results to the BOE in time for them to make their decisions - or will the BOE say the exit polls weren't certified, or come up with some lame excuse like the BOS did not review them in a board meeting so they won't rely on them, they will do whatever they want.

Doing some math in my head, if there are 1200 exit polls, and say it takes 3 minutes to add each one to a database, it will take 3600 minutes, or 60 hours to tabulate them. That's effectively a person week - I certainly hope we don't have to wait that long.

Is work being done now to set up a database to tabulate these results, and how many people will be working on tabulating them? Will someone be able to begin tabulating the exit poll results before the polls are closed? I seem to remember something like they can't report on exit surveys before the polls are closed.

Marlborough and Andover also vote on RHAM's budget at the same time - does anyone know if they will have similar exit polls, at least on the RHAM budget?

auntie wrote:


For the record, there is expected to be record turnout, and 2,500 ballots and advisory petitions are in the process of being printed. That's a first. You can scratch that thought of 1,500 voters on May 4th...

I am not concerned about how long it takes to tabulate the exit poll as Auntie. I am pleased that the BOS are authorizing the poll. Being a first 'formal' poll for Hebron that I can recall, I hope voters will not shy away from the exit poll. It is confidential, so there is no fear of retaliation. How ever long it takes to count the ballots, (and I know today's generation needs everything fast,) I want the tabulation to reflect accurate results.
No hangin' chads here because of speed.

The concern I have is that if the budget does not pass, the BOE has to take some action at their next board meeting, the next day or two. If the results are not published by then, the BOE will claim that they hadn't been given formal results and do not know the direction that we, the taxpayers, want them to follow.

So they will do their own thing.

My sense is this HBOE is not going to be open to the polling data if it is available. You have been in this community a while, assuming the vote goes down how do you suggest we get an elected body to listen to the constituency it represents?