The telephone call out method of political research is the dinosaur of our times. Like the dinosaur, everyone keeps talking about it as if it was still alive. Museums will someday display call centers with voice samples of the traditional political call. Sadly, many politicians and special interest groups still believe these old world methods are effective.

If you are an observer of recent elections, one very different feeling has been surfacing during the past two election cycles. An alarming lack of confidence in polls and election predictions.

A few obvious reasons the traditional polls are failing to perform are the advent of Caller ID, the massive use of the Do Not Call lists, the common (most cases it is now free) option to not list a new phone number when ordering service and the biggest factor no one wants to admit, the shit from land lines to cell lines as the ONLY phone in a residence. Cell numbers are not listed anywhere. The number of cell phone only voters will grow to over ten percent this year and continue to rise. Wow, so what data are you using to make critical decisions?

I know you want to believe the old methods work. You want to trust. But in your heart, you know something isnt right. It is time for new research methods.

While voters have shifted their telephone habits, they have also started a new habit of Internet use. The political blogs, newspapers, interaction via Internet during news and town hall televised events and now the podcasts have America located in a different place. They have moved. Has your research company moved with them?

Research firms who have evolved with the times employ techniques including web cam interviews while conducting political research. Better than a phone call, this confirms who is being surveyed; this approach also enables the client to see a picture of all who have been survey. It is amazing how putting a face with the data spawns a different creative insight than traditional research results. The new age of political research has arrived. It is an exciting time for creative companies. It is not so good to be the dinosaur.