Why we can’t trust exit poll “results” that come out before the polls close. “They are intoxications,” say sociologists

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Already from the middle of the day on Sunday, November 24, several figures had appeared that claimed to show the results of the first round of the presidential elections. Sociologists point out that Romanians should not trust such figures, which do not correctly present reality and can even be considered “intoxication”.

Cătălin Stoica, former director of the CURS polling house, now a professor at SNSPA, declared for HotNews that no figures appearing before 9pm can claim to accurately represent voters’ choices.

“I did many exit polls during the elections. And you can never have data at noon or in the afternoon that can be treated as results. Wait for 9pm! As a rule, the figures from 10:30 p.m., which include closing at 9 p.m., those must be taken into account,” says Stoica. The teacher reminds that the survey at 9 pm also refers to data collected until 8 pm.

The gelu sociologist Sunday is skeptical about the figures that have appeared in the public space, saying that he does not believe that they are data from institutes.

“An institute that would provide such data would discredit itself. I don’t even think it’s data from institutes,” said the expert, who agrees that such information appearing in the media could be in the interest of some parties, some candidates “or anyone else’s interest.” “Especially in an unclear voting exercise, with so many undecideds, it’s impossible to claim to have the results so early. The figures that appear are intoxications”, said Sunday.

The presentation of the figures before the closing of the polls is illegal. The National Broadcasting Council decided on Sunday to notify the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) and the Permanent Electoral Authority (AEP), after several websites published various opinion polls.

The list of sites notified by CNA is: stiripesurse.ro; libertatea.ro; romaniatv.net; fanatik.ro (site+YouTube channel); n365.ro; ziarulunirea.ro; realitateaoltului.ro; activenews.ro; adevarul.ro Also, Digi24.ro, ȘtirilePROTV.ro or Dc News published percentages and names of candidates, something prohibited by the Law on the election of the President of Romania.