Did opinion polls influence the election?

i can't understand some of the comments she made especially re. NZ First getting lots more votes than people expected. She said "there is a little bit of bandwagon element... first poll... showing NZ First isn't with a chance here.. and people... thought [their votes are] not going to be wasted"...??!? If people are concerned about wasting their votes, wouldn't they vote for other parties instead given the poll results?? Or am i missing something? I think a more probable explanation is the fact that ALL opinion polls are biased and it is extremely difficult to get random samples AND at the same time force people to answer your questions. e.g. with telephone polls, you will be targeting people that are at home at certain hours of the day; and with online polls, you will miss people that don't go online etc. I think NZ First got higher % than people expected because people who normally vote for them wouldn't normally do opinion polls and low turnout which is most likely come from younger age groups which aren't NZ First's support base so while their supporters go out and vote hard, the ones who normally wouldn't vote for them didn't so %-wise they got better results than they would have been otherwise. Regardless, it may be a very interesting three years and i guess we will just have to wait and see what's in store for us!

The Polls will influence only those with sponge bob minds of [tell what to do] thinking.People who take an interest in what is happening and why, know their mind and vote accordingly. Goodness me over 1 mil kiwis did not vote.

Love him or hate him. He has been Prime Minister for 3 years and will be for the next three years. You may as well get his name right. His name is.... John Key, NOT John Keys. The confusion may come from media often referring to his quotes or policies etc, in which case they say "John Key's..", as in "John Key's cabinet met today to discuss..." The same rule of english applies to any action or thing referred to as belonging to a proper name, whether it be a name of a human or animal or corporation etc. So from now on, anyone who calls our Prime Minister "John Keys" I shall correct that person using their own name with an inserted "s" wherever the hell I like. Show some respect for the office of Prime Minister!!

Yes. the media have gave National an easy run over the last few years.

Hell yes. The human psychology factor is huge!!! Just llike selling a brand to make it popular. eg. This brand was recommended by 90% of the woman who tested it.

Don't forget, people also didn't turn out because Labour (and ACT, and United) didn't give them anything to vote for.

And the death toll begins under John Keys second watch, higher crime, more child abuse, minorities being abused and degraded, state beneficiaries being treated like criminals... when its only a very small minority that are. Thats what this National party is pushing, its hate agenda. Voting for an idiot that has no actual substance is stupidity... John Key never justifies his answers... he says something is rubbish, or ridiculous but then fails to explain to the people why its rubbish.... he treats them like children. But the official John Key death toll has begun, lets see how many poor people the bigot can kill off before the end of his second term, how many human rights violations this nasty little bigot will push through. I think apathy caused such a low voter turn out... they didnt want to vote for any of the parties represented... give them a party to follow.... National wont change so it wont convince any of these folks to come out in support of them next time. I hope the media focuses on the real issues this term, that they show the public the consequences of Keys policies... abused children, battered mums, higher crime statistics and the sick being abandoned because their carers cant not finacially support them.

Yes it is a well documented phenomenom that if you tout a product loud enough , long enough as a leading brand, people will believe it. People fear the unknown and if not having all the options explained will choose the 1 thing they are shown. They also like to let others make decisions and follow accordingly hoping it is the right one.

Nobody wants their vote to be one of the wasted ones. Therefore, opinion polls are most likely to influence small party support. If it seems likly that the party of choice will not reach 5 per cent, there is evidence that people will vote for another party. ACT provided a variation, where it seemed that they would not retain Epsom.

I am amazed anyone can realistically claim corporate, big business, news media were biased in favour of Labour. Quite apart from such a bias being against their own best interests; remember the absurd but damaging Labour leadership rumours 3 months ago.