Pollsters calling, texting Elk Grove voters on Mayor's race; a push poll underway?

According to accounts from three readers, polling has started in the 2020 Elk Grove Mayoral race. The three-way race includes Elk Grove Mayor Steve Ly who is being challenged by Elk Grove Unified School District Trustee Bobbie Singh-Allen and Brian Pastor. 

The first report of polling came during last night's city council meeting where one reader said they received a telephone call asking them a battery of questions. The afternoon, two readers told us they participated in the survey via text messaging from a company calling itself CS Research.

The questions and the possible responses are posted below.

The poll of 21 questions starts with routine statements and asked respondents to select from five options that best described their attitude. Starting with the eighth questions respondent are presented with several statements that positively portray Singh-Allen in a positive light, then pivots and presents Ly negatively.

The tactic is commonly known in political circles as a so-called push poll. The purpose of a push poll is not to necessarily gather information as it is to either convey postive information about one candidate while broadcasting negative information about another.

The American Association for Public Opinion Research defines a push poll "as a form of negative campaigning that is disguised as a political poll. “Push polls” are actually political telemarketing -- telephone calls disguised as research that aim to persuade large numbers of voters and affect election outcomes, rather than measure opinions." 

In their statement on push polls the AAPOR says are "an insidious form of negative campaigning, disguised as a political poll. “Push polls” are not surveys at all, but rather unethical political telemarketing -- telephone calls disguised as research that aim to persuade large numbers of voters and affect election outcomes, rather than measure opinions."

The audio interview had a more general script that also touched on the Presidential election. One question seemed to be directed at Ly that read "some people say Steve Ly uses the Hmong clan system to threaten and bully his political opponents especially women who publicly criticize him. Since June four women have come forward to allege that Ly directed supporters to  harass and intimidate them through text messages and Facebook posts."  

After reading general descriptions of each three mayoral candidates, the respondent was asked to select who they would vote for mayor.  

The reader who provided the 16-minute audio interview asked that it not be shared online. The caller said the polling was being conducted by "a national data collect firm" at the beginning of the interview but provided no further information. 

Based on the questions posed to respondents in the text message survey, according to the standards of the AAPOR, it appears to be a push poll. 

Ly did not respond to an inquiry regarding the polls and a spokesperson for the Singh-Allen campaign could not be reached. It is not known who commissioned the polling. 

The number of the text survey was (916)721-2698. A call to that number played a recording saying that number was not in service. 

Below are the questions:

Hi, I'm Adrien with CS Research, with a short survey about the fall election in Elk Grove. 

On November 3, 2020 there will be a General election in Elk Grove for Mayor. How likely are you to vote?

1 Definitely voting 

2 Very Likely voting

3 Chances are 50/50 that you will vote

4 Not Likely

5 Unsure

What is your opinion of Brian Pastor, Candidate for Mayor of Elk Grove?

1 Very Favorable

2 Somewhat favorable

3 Neutral

4 Somewhat unfavorable

5 Very unfavorable

6 Don't Know/Don't recognize the name

What is your opinion of Steve Ly, Candidate for Mayor of Elk Grove?

1 Very Favorable

2 Somewhat favorable

3 Neutral

4 Somewhat unfavorable

5 Very unfavorable

6 Don't Know/Don't recognize the name

What is your opinion of Bobbie Singh-Allen, Candidate for Mayor of Elk Grove?

1 Very Favorable

2 Somewhat favorable

3 Neutral

4 Somewhat unfavorable

5 Very unfavorable

6 Don't Know/Don't recognize the name

What would you say should be the TOP priority for our next mayor?

1 Relieving traffic congestion

2 Greater cooperation with other elected officials/community leaders

3 COVID-19 economic recovery plan to help small businesses and families

4 More training and professional development for police

5 Another issue not listed

What would you say should be the SECOND highest priority?

1 Relieving traffic congestion

2 Greater cooperation with other elected officials/community leaders

3 COVID-19 economic recovery plan to help small businesses and families

4 More training and professional development for police

5 Another issue not listed

In the race for Mayor of Elk Grove, the three candidates. Which candidate are you supporting?

1 Steve Ly

2 Brian Pastor

3 Bobbie Singh-Allen

4 Undecided

Bobbie Singh-Allen believes in bringing communities together and treating people with respect. Her leadership style is to collaborate with the City Council, businesses, public safety, the school district, local nonprofits, and city residents to get things done. 

Does this information make you:

1 Much more likely to support

2 Somewhat more likely to support

3 No Change

4 Somewhat less likely to support

5 Much less likely to support

Under Bobbie Singh-Allen's leadership in California's fifth-largest school district, test scores are up and the school district's finances are strong despite the difficult economic environment.

Does this information make you:

1 Much more likely to support

2 Somewhat more likely to support

3 No Change

4 Somewhat less likely to support

5 Much less likely to support

Bobbie Singh-Allens runs a statewide trade association in the hospitality industry and has spent more than twelve years at the state capitol advocating for small business.

Does this information make you:

1 Much more likely to support

2 Somewhat more likely to support

3 No Change

4 Somewhat less likely to support

5 Much less likely to support

In her 8 years on the school board, Bobbie Singh-Allen fought for more training and professional development for safety officers in our schools and will use this experience to provide proper police training and improve guidelines to build more trust between community and law enforcement.

Does this information make you:

1 Much more likely to support

2 Somewhat more likely to support

3 No Change

4 Somewhat less likely to support

5 Much less likely to support

Under Mayor Steve Ly, job growth in Elk Grove has been flat. The mall project died, the casino project was delayed, and the health care industry is marred in controversy.

Does this information make you:

1 Much more likely to support

2 Somewhat more likely to support

3 No Change

4 Somewhat less likely to support

5 Much less likely to support

Mayor Steve Ly has no economic recovery plan in response to the Covid-19 Pandemic even though business closures and unemployment have spiked

Does this information make you:

1 Much more likely to support

2 Somewhat more likely to support

3 No Change

4 Somewhat less likely to support

5 Much less likely to support

Rather than focus on the needs of Elk Grove, Mayor Steve Ly has repeatedly attacked women who are private citizens, community leaders, and elected officials.

Does this information make you:

1 Much more likely to support

2 Somewhat more likely to support

3 No Change

4 Somewhat less likely to support

5 Much less likely to support

Mayor Steve Ly was fired from his last job for financial mismanagement and such poor leadership that nearly half the employees threatened to quit if he remained in that position.

1 Much more likely to support

2 Somewhat more likely to support

3 No Change

4 Somewhat less likely to support

5 Much less likely to support

Mayor Steve Ly is the focus of a Grand Jury investigation for his harassment of public citizens and elected officials, all women.

Does this information make you:

1 Much more likely to support

2 Somewhat more likely to support

3 No Change

4 Somewhat less likely to support

5 Much less likely to support

What age range do you fall within?

1 Between the ages of 18 and 34

2 Between 35 and 44

3 Between 45 and 54

4 Between 55 and 64

5 Age 65 or older

Just to make sure we have a representative sample, please tell me if you consider yourself. 

1 African American or Black

2 Caucasian or White

3 Asian

4 Hispanic or Latino

5 Mixed race

6 Other Ethnicity not mentioned here

What is your gender?

1 Male

2 Female

3 Non-binary

Would you describe yourself as:

1 Very Liberal

2 Somewhat Liberal

3 Moderate

4 Somewhat Conservative

5 Mostly Conservative

In politics, would you describe yourself as:

1 Mostly Democratic 

2 Leaning Democratic

3 Completely Independent

4 Leaning Republican

5 Mostly Republican

What is the last grade of school or level of education you completed?

1 Did not complete high school

2 Graduated from high school

3 Attended technical/vocational school

4 Attended some college but did not graduate

5 Graduated 2yr college/Associate degree

6 Graduated 4yr college/Bachelors degree

7 Obtained a masters, PhD, or another professional degree

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