Election vs. Poll — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on May 7, 2024
An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses individuals to hold public office, whereas a poll is a survey of public opinion from a particular sample.
Difference Between Election and Poll
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
An election involves the organized collection of votes to select candidates for various official positions. On the other hand, a poll generally measures public sentiment or opinion on specific issues or preferences toward candidates or policies through a sampled survey.
Elections are legally binding processes regulated by governmental or organizational statutes, ensuring that the results have direct implications on governance and representation. In contrast, polls are informative tools used to gauge public opinion and do not have legal power to determine governance outcomes.
The methodology of elections is structured around formal voting systems where individuals cast ballots under secure conditions to ensure the integrity of the vote. Whereas polls employ statistical techniques to gather opinions from a representative but limited sample of the population, which might include questionnaires or interviews.
Elections are typically periodic, occurring at scheduled intervals defined by constitutional or statutory requirements. Polls, however, can be conducted more frequently and are often utilized in the run-up to an election to predict potential outcomes or gauge public interest in various topics.
The results of an election determine the leadership and policies of governments, impacting every aspect of national and local governance. On the other hand, poll results are primarily used for strategic planning by political campaigns, policymakers, and media outlets to understand and respond to public interests or concerns.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Process to select office holders or decisions
Survey to measure public opinion
Legal Status
Binding decisions
Non-binding insights
Frequency
Periodic based on rules
Conducted as needed, often around elections
Method
Secure, structured voting
Sampling with questionnaires or interviews
Outcome Impact
Determines governance and policies
Influences strategies and perceptions
Compare with Definitions
Election
Held at regular intervals.
The next election is scheduled in four years.
Poll
Influences media and political strategies.
Politicians adjusted their campaigns based on poll results.
Election
Results in political appointments.
She won the election and became the mayor.
Poll
A method to gauge public opinions or trends.
The latest poll shows a shift in public sentiment.
Election
Involves registered voters.
Millions of voters participated in the election.
Poll
Can be frequent and topic-specific.
A poll was conducted to assess reactions to the new policy.
Election
A formal process to choose representatives or leaders.
The national election determined the new president.
Poll
Not legally binding.
The poll results influenced but did not determine the decision.
Election
Conducted under legal frameworks.
The election was held according to federal law.
Poll
Utilizes statistical sampling techniques.
The poll sampled a diverse cross-section of the population.
Election
An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has operated since the 17th century.
Poll
The casting and registering of votes in an election.
Election
The act or process of electing someone to fill an office or position
Officers are chosen by election and not by appointment.
Poll
The number of votes cast or recorded.
Election
An instance of this
Did you vote in this election?.
Poll
The places where votes are cast and registered during an election, considered as a group
The polls close in this state at 8:00.
Election
The fact of being elected
Her election to the Senate.
Poll
A place where votes are cast and registered
I went to the polls before work to cast a vote.
Election
An act of choosing; a selection
Your election of benefits.
Poll
A survey of the public or of a sample of public opinion to acquire information.
Election
Predestined salvation, especially as conceived by Calvinists.
Poll
The head, especially the top of the head where hair grows.
Election
A process of choosing a leader, members of parliament, councillors, or other representatives by popular vote.
The parliamentary election(s) will be held in March.
How did you vote in (UK also: at) the last election?
Poll
The blunt or broad end of a tool such as a hammer or axe.
Election
The choice of a leader or representative by popular vote.
The election of John Smith was due to his broad appeal.
Poll
To receive (a given number of votes).
Election
An option that is selected.
W-4 election
Poll
To receive or record the votes of
Polling a jury.
Election
(archaic) Any conscious choice.
Poll
To cast (a vote or ballot).
Election
(theology) In Calvinism, God's predestination of saints including all of the elect.
Poll
To question in a survey; canvass.
Election
(obsolete) Those who are elected.
Poll
To cut off or trim (hair, horns, or wool, for example); clip.
Election
The act of choosing; choice; selection.
Poll
To trim or cut off the hair, wool, branches, or horns of
Polled the sheep.
Polled the trees.
Election
The act of choosing a person to fill an office, or to membership in a society, as by ballot, uplifted hands, or viva voce; as, the election of a president or a mayor.
Corruption in elections is the great enemy of freedom.
Poll
To vote at the polls in an election.
Election
Power of choosing; free will; liberty to choose or act.
Poll
A survey of people, usually statistically analyzed to gauge wider public opinion.
Election
Discriminating choice; discernment.
To use men with much difference and election is good.
Poll
A formal vote held in order to ascertain the most popular choice.
The student council had a poll to see what people want served in the cafeteria.
Election
Divine choice; predestination of individuals as objects of mercy and salvation; - one of the "five points" of Calvinism.
There is a remnant according to the election of grace.
Poll
A polling place
The polls close at 8 p.m.
Election
The choice, made by a party, of two alternatives, by taking one of which, the chooser is excluded from the other.
Poll
The result of the voting, the total number of votes recorded. can "poll" also have another sense synonymous with "electoral register"?
Election
Those who are elected.
The election hath obtained it.
He has made his election to walk, in the main, in the old paths.
Poll
The head, particularly the scalp or pate upon which hair (normally) grows.
Election
A vote to select the winner of a position or political office;
The results of the election will be announced tonight
Poll
(in extended senses of the above) A mass of people, a mob or muster, considered as a head count.
Election
The act of selecting someone or something; the exercise of deliberate choice;
Her election of medicine as a profession
Poll
The broad or butt end of an axe or a hammer.
Election
The status or fact of being elected;
They celebrated his election
Poll
The pollard or European chub, a kind of fish.
Election
The predestination of some individuals as objects of divine mercy (especially as conceived by Calvinists)
Poll
A pet parrot.
Poll
One who does not try for honors at university, but is content to take a degree merely; a passman.
Poll
(transitive) To take, record the votes of (an electorate).
Poll
(transitive) To solicit mock votes from (a person or group).
Poll
(intransitive) To vote at an election.
Poll
To register or deposit, as a vote; to elicit or call forth, as votes or voters.
He polled a hundred votes more than his opponent.
Poll
To cut off; to remove by clipping, shearing, etc.; to mow or crop.
To poll the hair; to poll wool; to poll grass
Poll
(transitive) To cut the hair of (a creature).
Poll
(transitive) To remove the horns of (an animal).
Poll
To remove the top or end of; to clip; to lop.
To poll a tree
Poll
To (repeatedly) request the status of something (such as a computer or printer on a network).
The network hub polled the department’s computers to determine which ones could still respond.
Poll
To be judged in a poll.
Poll
(obsolete) To extort from; to plunder; to strip.
Poll
To impose a tax upon.
Poll
To pay as one's personal tax.
Poll
To enter, as polls or persons, in a list or register; to enroll, especially for purposes of taxation; to enumerate one by one.
Poll
(legal) To cut or shave smooth or even; to cut in a straight line without indentation
A polled deed
Poll
(of kinds of livestock which typically have horns) Bred without horns, and thus hornless.
Poll Hereford
Red Poll cows
Poll
A parrot; - familiarly so called.
Poll
One who does not try for honors, but is content to take a degree merely; a passman.
Poll
The head; the back part of the head.
Poll
A number or aggregate of heads; a list or register of heads or individuals.
We are the greater poll, and in true fearThey gave us our demands.
The muster file, rotten and sound, upon my life, amounts not to fifteen thousand poll.
Poll
Specifically, the register of the names of electors who may vote in an election.
Poll
The casting or recording of the votes of registered electors; as, the close of the poll.
All soldiers quartered in place are to remove . . . and not to return till one day after the poll is ended.
Poll
The place where the votes are cast or recorded; as, to go to the polls.
Poll
The broad end of a hammer; the but of an ax.
Poll
The European chub. See Pollard, 3 (a).
Poll
To remove the poll or head of; hence, to remove the top or end of; to clip; to lop; to shear; as, to poll the head; to poll a tree.
When he [Absalom] pollled his head.
His death did so grieve them that they polled themselves; they clipped off their horse and mule's hairs.
Poll
To cut off; to remove by clipping, shearing, etc.; to mow or crop; - sometimes with off; as, to poll the hair; to poll wool; to poll grass.
Who, as he polled off his dart's head, so sure he had decreedThat all the counsels of their war he would poll off like it.
Poll
To extort from; to plunder; to strip.
Which polls and pills the poor in piteous wise.
Poll
To impose a tax upon.
Poll
To pay as one's personal tax.
The man that polled but twelve pence for his head.
Poll
To enter, as polls or persons, in a list or register; to enroll, esp. for purposes of taxation; to enumerate one by one.
Polling the reformed churches whether they equalize in number those of his three kingdoms.
Poll
To register or deposit, as a vote; to elicit or call forth, as votes or voters; as, he polled a hundred votes more than his opponent.
And poll for points of faith his trusty vote.
Poll
To cut or shave smooth or even; to cut in a straight line without indentation; as, a polled deed. See Dee poll.
Poll
To vote at an election.
Poll
An inquiry into public opinion conducted by interviewing a random sample of people
Poll
The top of the head
Poll
The part of the head between the ears
Poll
A tame parrot
Poll
The counting of votes (as in an election)
Poll
Get the opinions (of people) by asking specific questions
Poll
Vote in an election at a polling station
Poll
Get the votes of
Poll
Convert into a pollard;
Pollard trees
Common Curiosities
Are elections held more frequently than polls?
No, polls are generally conducted more frequently than elections, which are held at scheduled intervals.
What is the main purpose of an election?
The main purpose of an election is to formally select individuals to hold public office or make decisions on public matters.
How is a poll different from an election?
A poll measures public opinion through surveys, while an election makes formal, legally binding decisions through voting.
How are election results used compared to poll results?
Election results directly affect governance and policy, whereas poll results are used for gauging public interest and strategic planning.
Can poll results affect election outcomes?
Poll results can influence public perception and campaign strategies but do not directly determine election outcomes.
Can anyone participate in polls?
While polls aim to be inclusive, they typically sample a representative segment of the population rather than including everyone.
Are polls always accurate in predicting elections?
Polls provide a snapshot of current opinions and trends but are not always accurate predictors of election outcomes due to various factors like sampling errors and changing opinions.
What methodologies are employed in elections vs. polls?
Elections use secure voting processes, while polls use statistical sampling to gather opinions.
What legal status do elections hold?
Elections are legally binding and governed by specific laws and regulations.
Why are polls conducted?
Polls are conducted to understand public opinion, predict election outcomes, or gather insights on specific issues.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
