Wikipedia:Straw polls

[[Category:Wikipedia wp:polls
wp:vote
wp:straws|Straw polls]]

This page explains how to make a good straw poll. However, see Wikipedia:Discuss, don't vote for a guideline that explains why polls are generally discouraged.

Wikipedia is not a democracy, and, in general, voting is evil. Decisions should be made by consensus decision making rather than a strict majority rule.

However, on occasion it is useful to take a survey of opinions on some issue, as an indication of which options have the most support. Surveys should never be thought of as binding.

What a straw poll is good for

A straw poll is a tool for quickly probing opinions. Straw polls should not have opening and closing times as votes do. Instead, just give everybody a chance to chip in with a simple yes or no, and maybe some short reasons for your opinion. Straw polls may trigger discussions instead—that's not a failure, it just means you know that the issue is not clear-cut, which is what you set out to determine in the first place.

Wikipedia is not an experiment in democracy. Its primary method of finding consensus is discussion, not voting. In difficult cases, straw polls may be conducted to help determine consensus, but are to be used with caution and not to be treated as binding votes.

However, on occasion it is useful to take a survey of opinions on some issue, as an aid to achieving consensus and an indication of which options have the most support. Surveys should never be thought of as binding.

A straw poll is not a binding vote, or a way to beat dissenters over the head with the will of the majority. Even if a large number of people vote for one option but some don't, this doesn't mean that that's the "outcome". It means some people are disagreeing, and that has to be addressed.

If you try to force an issue with a poll, expect severe opposition, people adding a "polls are evil and stupid" option and your poll not being regarded as binding.

See Wikipedia:Current surveys for current surveys and straw polls.

Creating a survey

These guidelines provide a framework that may be followed when creating a new survey. These are not binding in any way.

1. Any Wikipedian may start a survey on any topic, but attempts to reach consensus are much, much, MUCH preferred, and should perhaps be followed even when it pains us most.
2. Consensus must be reached about the nature of the survey before it starts. Allow about a week for this process.
3. In general, surveys are to help gauge the degree of consensus on an issue, such as whether a particular article version appears to be POV or NPOV. Surveys should not be used for the purposes of "fact finding."
4. A deadline for the survey should be considered so as to resolve the issue in a timely manner.
5. Once started, the questions and wording in the survey should not change. However, if someone feels that the existing survey is seriously flawed, this is typically an indication Step 2 was not completed properly.
6. If the majority of opinion is in one direction, but a significant minority of people oppose it, work to find a solution that can be accepted by as many people as possible.
7. Multiple Support or Oppose sections in a survey make navigation difficult, and edit summaries which read
    (→ Support - this option is best)
   make it difficult to observe on watchlists. Consider using unique headers, such as parenthetical headers used in the massive Admin accountability poll.

Survey etiquette

If you are posting on talk pages, asking experienced editors to give their opinion on an issue, make sure not to use language that may suggest bias.

• Good: "Hey, Bob, could you tell me what you think about this discussion? I think your input could help"
• Bad: "Yet another attempt to push POV-- please help!"

Sample survey

Note that this is purely a sample of one way to organise such a survey—different circumstances may call for different approaches.

Please sign your name using four tildes (~~~~) under the position you support, preferably adding a brief comment. If you are happy with more than one possibility, you may wish to sign your names to more than one place. Extended commentary should be placed below, in the section marked "Discussion", though brief commentary can be interspersed.

• Use BCE and CE for years
  • Alice Springs
  • EfferVescent
  • NotARealUser
• Use AD and BC for years
  • FictionalName
  • Fred Bloggs -- but redirect from BCE and CE (first choice)
  • This is always how we did it in school. -- MadeUp
  • Why go against the (main)stream? user:Zanimum
• Allow both as equally acceptable alternatives
  • It's the wiki way! OnTheFence
  • Fred Bloggs (second choice)

Discussion

Discussion resulting from the survey would go here. If there were a significant amount, it might be moved to a talk page instead.

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See also

• Voting is evil
• Voting is good, Voting is evil (courtesy MeatballWiki)
• Wikipedia:Consensus
• Wikipedia:Supermajority
• Wikipedia:How to hold a consensus vote (rejected proposal, kept for historical purposes only)