Siena College Research Institute

Public opinion research company in the U.S.

Siena College Research Institute

Formation| 1980
Founder| Doug Lonnstrom
Location|

* Loudonville, New York, U.S.

Director

| Donald P. Levy
Affiliations| Siena College
Website| scri.siena.edu
Remarks| Conducts expert and public opinion polls, focusing on New York State and the United States, on issues of public policy interest

Siena College Research Institute (SCRI) is an affiliate of Siena College, located originally in Friars Hall and now in Hines Hall on the college's campus, in Loudonville, New York, in suburban Albany.[1][2][3] It was founded in 1980.[4]

It conducts both expert and public opinion polls, focusing on New York State and the United States, on issues of public policy interest. They include education, health care, and consumer confidence, and explores business, economic, political, voter, social, educational, and historical issues.[4][5] SCRI conducted surveys on New Yorkers' sentiments towards the creation of the Cordoba House Mosque near the World Trade Center site in lower Manhattan, and the Arizona Immigration Law.[6][7]

Among other things, starting in 1982 SCRI has polled presidential scholars in an effort to rate both the United States presidents[8][9] and U.S. First Ladies.[1][10][11][12] It has also conducted polls as to America's most notable women,[13] television's most memorable moment,[14] and consumer confidence.[15][16]

Statistics and finance professor Doug Lonnstrom was its founding Director.[17] Donald P. Levy is its current director.[18][19]

## The New York Times/Siena College

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In 2018, SCRI and The New York Times partnered to deliver the first real time Midterm Election polls.[20][21] In its review of polling conducted during the 2022 midterm elections, FiveThirtyEight found that The New York Times/Siena College partnered polls had the lowest statistical error of all pollsters it measured, tied with Suffolk University.[22] It currently holds a 3-star rating from FiveThirtyEight, their highest possible rating for a pollster, based on measurements of error, bias, and transparency in methodology. As of 2024, FiveThirtyEight describes the The New York Times/Siena College Poll as the most accurate pollster in America.[23][24]

The New York Times/Siena College Poll contacts a random sample of respondents, gathered from a national list of registered voters from data company L2. It utilizes live interviewers calling both landlines and cellphones, with recent polls conducted primarily by cellphone and typically lasting under 15 minutes. As of 2024, response rates to calls are under 2%. The poll aims to reach a representative sample of American voters and adjust for participation bias via stratified sampling, utilizing demographic information from its voter file such as race, party affiliation, and regional location. The poll attempts more contacts with respondents from groups that are less likely to respond. Completed surveys are weighted primarily with the poll's overall voter file, with adjustments made based on 12 demographic variables. Demographic information on education is not available in the voter file, and is weighted separately with the American Community Survey and Current Population Survey from the US Census Bureau. Poll questions are published verbatim in the reports of each poll.[25][26][27][28]

When nearing election days, the poll emphasizes results among likely voters over registered voters overall, which is determined through a respondent's voting history and self-reported intention to vote.[25]

## See also

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* Quinnipiac University Polling Institute
* Emerson College Polling
* Franklin & Marshall College Poll
* Suffolk University Political Research Center
* Monmouth University Polling Institute
* Marist Institute for Public Opinion

## References

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1. ^ a b The Presidents' Wives: Reassessing the Office of First Lady. Lynne Rienner Publishers. 2000. p. 148. ISBN 9781555879488. Retrieved August 7, 2010.
2. ^ Research centers directory. Gale Research Co. 1993. ISBN 9780810380011. Archived from the original on March 20, 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2010.
3. ^ "Siena College Research Institute – the preeminent academically situated polling institute in New York State". Archived from the original on 2010-08-22. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
4. ^ a b "About Us". Siena.edu. Archived from the original on May 28, 2010. Retrieved August 7, 2010.
5. ^ Bryce, Jill (October 1, 1998). "Siena poll: Most like president's leadership But they do not want their children to be like him". Daily Gazette, The. Archived from the original on March 20, 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2010.
6. ^ Siena Research Institute Press Release Archived 2010-08-15 at the Wayback Machine, August 5, 2010, siena.edu/sri. Retrieved August 17, 2010.
7. ^ The Snow Report Archived 2011-07-16 at the Wayback Machine Floridatoday.com. August 7, 2010. Retrieved August 17,2010.
8. ^ Curry, Jill L.; Morris, Irwin L. (2010). "The Contemporary Presidency Explaining Presidential Greatness: The Roles of Peace and Prosperity?". Presidential Studies Quarterly. 40 (3): 515–530. doi:10.1111/j.1741-5705.2010.03784.x.
9. ^ "FDR Tops President List". Star-News. August 21, 2002. Archived from the original on March 20, 2022. Retrieved September 28, 2010.
10. ^ Lincoln herald. Lincoln Memorial University Press. 2007. Archived from the original on March 20, 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2010.
11. ^ The presidential companion: readings on the first ladies. University of South Carolina Press. 2006. ISBN 9781570036590. Archived from the original on March 20, 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2010.
12. ^ "Ranking the presidential spouses". September 15, 1999. Archived from the original on July 3, 2018. Retrieved August 7, 2010.
13. ^ "Survey Names Notable American Women". The Christian Science Monitor. March 22, 1993. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2010.
14. ^ "JFK Assassination TV's Most Memorable Moment". The Tuscaloosa News. October 9, 1990. Archived from the original on March 20, 2022. Retrieved September 28, 2010.
15. ^ "Consumer confidence rises in N.Y., falls nationwide". Business First of Buffalo. April 1, 2003. Archived from the original on June 19, 2003. Retrieved August 7, 2010.
16. ^ "New Yorkers a bit more confident in December". The Business Review (Albany). January 6, 2010. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2010.
17. ^ Kelly, Thomas O.; Lonnstrom, Douglas A. (2003). "The Contemporary Presidency: Rating The Presidents A Tracking Study". Presidential Studies Quarterly. 33 (3): 625. doi:10.1111/1741-5705.00009. Archived from the original on March 20, 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2010.
18. ^ "Staff". Siena.edu. Archived from the original on July 5, 2010. Retrieved August 7, 2010.
19. ^ "Staff". Siena College Research Institure. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
20. ^ "Live From the Battleground Districts: Polls of the Key Races for House Control". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2018-09-06. Retrieved 2018-09-06.
21. ^ "Siena Partners with The New York Times". Siena College. Archived from the original on 2018-10-11. Retrieved 2018-10-10.
22. ^ "The Polls Were Historically Accurate In 2022". FiveThirtyEight. March 10, 2023.
23. ^ "538's Pollster Ratings". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
24. ^ "What are the best pollsters in America?". FiveThirtyEight. January 25, 2024.
25. ^ a b "You Ask, We Answer: How The Times/Siena Poll Is Conducted". The New York Times. 8 September 2024.
26. ^ "Key things to know about U.S. election polling in 2024". Pew Research. 28 August 2024.
27. ^ "Our Polling Methodology". The New York Times. 6 September 2018.
28. ^ "Why Did We Do the Poll the Way We Did?". The New York Times. 6 September 2018.

## External links

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* Siena College Research Institute