Franklin & Marshall College Poll
Encyclopedia
The Franklin & Marshall College Poll (formerly the Keystone Poll) is a prominent Pennsylvania-based opinion poll
. It is considered the "longest running Pennsylvania statewide poll exclusively directed and produced in the state."
The Franklin & Marshall College Poll first developed from a poll taken during the United States Senate special election in Pennsylvania, 1991, pitting incumbent Democrat Harris Wofford
against former Pennsylvania Governor Dick Thornburgh
. In 1992, the poll was formally inaugurated as the Keystone Poll at Millersville University of Pennsylvania
, with Terry Madonna
working as the director of the poll and Berwood Yost, as the head methodologist. Madonna and Yost took positions at Franklin & Marshall College
in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
in 2003, bringing the poll with them. The poll underwent two significant changes in 2008: it was renamed the Franklin & Marshall College Poll and it was expanded beyond its Pennsylvania roots to study national opinion for 29 Hearst-Argyle
televisions stations and other media outlets.
During its existence, the poll has been published through a variety of media outlets. In its early years, it was carried by the Philadelphia Daily News
and KYW-TV
. Later, the Fox 29
replaced KYW and the Harrisburg Patriot News and the Pittsburgh Tribune Review began carrying the poll. In 2002, the Comcast Network
replaced Fox 29
. The statewide distribution now includes WPVI-TV
, WGAL-TV, WTAE-TV
, and the Times-Shamrock Communications
.
Opinion poll
An opinion poll, sometimes simply referred to as a poll is a survey of public opinion from a particular sample. Opinion polls are usually designed to represent the opinions of a population by conducting a series of questions and then extrapolating generalities in ratio or within confidence...
. It is considered the "longest running Pennsylvania statewide poll exclusively directed and produced in the state."
The Franklin & Marshall College Poll first developed from a poll taken during the United States Senate special election in Pennsylvania, 1991, pitting incumbent Democrat Harris Wofford
Harris Wofford
Harris Llewellyn Wofford served as a Democratic U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania from 1991 to 1995 and as the fifth president of Bryn Mawr College, and is a noted advocate of national service and volunteering...
against former Pennsylvania Governor Dick Thornburgh
Dick Thornburgh
Richard Lewis "Dick" Thornburgh is an American lawyer and Republican politician who served as the 41st Governor of Pennsylvania from 1979 to 1987, and then as the U.S...
. In 1992, the poll was formally inaugurated as the Keystone Poll at Millersville University of Pennsylvania
Millersville University of Pennsylvania
Millersville University of Pennsylvania is a public university in Millersville, Pennsylvania, USA, 3 miles southwest of Lancaster. Millersville University is a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.-History:...
, with Terry Madonna
Terry Madonna
G. Terry Madonna is Professor of Public Affairs and Director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs at Franklin and Marshall College. He is also the Director of the Franklin and Marshall College Poll. In the early 1970s, he served as County Commissioner of Lancaster County,...
working as the director of the poll and Berwood Yost, as the head methodologist. Madonna and Yost took positions at Franklin & Marshall College
Franklin & Marshall College
Franklin & Marshall College is a four-year private co-educational residential national liberal arts college in the Northwest Corridor neighborhood of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States....
in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...
in 2003, bringing the poll with them. The poll underwent two significant changes in 2008: it was renamed the Franklin & Marshall College Poll and it was expanded beyond its Pennsylvania roots to study national opinion for 29 Hearst-Argyle
Hearst-Argyle
Hearst Television, Inc. is a broadcasting company in the United States, owned by the New York City-based Hearst Corporation. It holds joint ventures in television production with NBC Universal Television Distribution...
televisions stations and other media outlets.
During its existence, the poll has been published through a variety of media outlets. In its early years, it was carried by the Philadelphia Daily News
Philadelphia Daily News
The Philadelphia Daily News is a tabloid newspaper that serves Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The newspaper is owned by Philadelphia Media Holdings which also owns Philadelphia's other major newspaper The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Daily News began publishing on March 31, 1925, under...
and KYW-TV
KYW-TV
KYW-TV, virtual channel 3, is an owned and operated television station of the CBS Television Network, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. KYW-TV shares a studio facility with its sister station, CW flagship WPSG just north of Center City Philadelphia...
. Later, the Fox 29
WTXF-TV
WTXF-TV, virtual channel 29 , is an owned-and-operated station of the News Corporation-owned Fox Broadcasting Company, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
replaced KYW and the Harrisburg Patriot News and the Pittsburgh Tribune Review began carrying the poll. In 2002, the Comcast Network
Comcast Network
Comcast Network is a cable television station that is shown mostly in parts of Comcast Cable services in the Eastern part of the US. Viewed in four states and 20 television markets from New Jersey to Virginia on Comcast cable systems. The main focus of the network is Philadelphia although they...
replaced Fox 29
WTXF-TV
WTXF-TV, virtual channel 29 , is an owned-and-operated station of the News Corporation-owned Fox Broadcasting Company, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
. The statewide distribution now includes WPVI-TV
WPVI-TV
WPVI-TV, channel 6, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. WPVI has its studios located on the border between Philadelphia and Bala Cynwyd, and its transmitter is located in the...
, WGAL-TV, WTAE-TV
WTAE-TV
WTAE-TV is the ABC affiliated television station for Western Pennsylvania that is licensed to Pittsburgh, broadcasting on UHF channel 51 and identifying via PSIP as channel 4 . It also serves as an ABC affiliate for the Wheeling/Steubenville and Clarksburg/Weston, West Virginia market areas...
, and the Times-Shamrock Communications
Times-Shamrock Communications
Times-Shamrock Communications is an American media company based in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The company, owned by the Lynett and Haggerty families of Scranton, lists among its assets seven daily newspapers, over 20 weekly newspapers, and 12 radio stations...
.