Exit Poll Response Optimization Analysis
The Excel Solver optimization program is a useful tool to
determine which combinations of exit poll response rates are
plausible, based on the 1250 precinct distribution provided by
Mitofsky, which has been analyzed by USCV and here at DU in
connection with the rBr hypothesis.
The objective:
Maximize/Minimize Kerry and Bush voting percentages subject to
constraints on response rates.
Constraints:
The weighted average response rate is set to 53%.
1250 precinct partisan distribution
High Bush > Non Partisan > High Kerry
40 415 540 165 90
The optimization was based on two sets of Kerry win
probability distributions:
1- 20% 40% 50% 60% 80%
2- 10% 30% 50% 70% 90%
Response range constraints:
1)No restriction [0 - 100%]
2)Restricted to [30% - 70%]
3)Restricted to [50 - 56%]
Optimization output includes the following parameters:
Response rate distributions (R)
Corresponding alphas 1/ (1-R)
Kerry responders
Bush Responders
Kerry Refusers
Bush Refusers
Total Kerry and Total Bush
Bush Vote %
Bush Exit Poll %
WPE (within precinct error)
Bush only won the IMPLAUSIBLE CASE of extremely high response
in High Bush strongholds (70%), and low response (38.2%) in
Kerry strongholds.
Kerry won all PLAUSIBLE optimizations.
1250 Precincts
Group A High Bush Non-partisan High Kerry
Prec 40 415 540 165 90
Kerry% 20% 40% 50% 60% 80%
Optimize Goal Kerry Bush (53%avg rate)
Implausible 1 Max Bush 50.30% 49.70%
Plausible 2 Max Kerry 50.72% 49.28%
Implausible 3 Min Bush 71.07% 28.93%
Implausible 4 Min Kerry 50.30% 49.70%
Implausible 5 Max Kerry 54.97% 45.03% < [30%,70%]
Implausible 6 Max Bush 50.35% 49.65% < [30%,70%]
Group B
Kerry% 10% 30% 50% 70% 90%
Optimize Goal Kerry Bush
Implausible 7 Min Bush 54.19% 45.81% < [30%,70%]
Implausible 8 Max Bush 48.08% 51.92% < [30%,70%]
Implausible 9 Min Kerry 48.08% 51.92% < [30%,70%]
Implausible 10 Max Kerry 54.19% 45.81% < [30%,70%]
Plausible 11 Max Kerry 51.02% 48.98% < [50%,56%]
Plausible 12 Max Bush 50.56% 49.44% < [50%,56%]
Plausible 13 Min Kerry 50.56% 49.44% < [50%,56%]
Plausible 14 Min Bush 51.08% 48.92% < [50%,56%]
OPT 1
Kerry 50.30%
Bush 49.70% <maximize
HighBush High Kerry
1250 40 415 540 165 90
Kerry% 20% 40% 50% 60% 80%
0.53 Resp 89.70% 57.35% 50.88% 46.57% 41.17%
1.06 alpha 1.79 1.15 1.02 0.93 0.82
662 Resp 36 238 275 77 37
329 K Resp 13 109 140 43 24
333 B Resp 23 129 135 34 13
300 K Ref 1 71 133 53 42
288 B Ref 3 106 133 35 11
629 TotalK 14 180 272 96 67
621 TotalB 26 235 268 69 23
49.70% B Pct% 65.76% 56.63% 49.55% 41.92% 25.81%
49.52% B Exit% 64.12% 54.12% 49.12% 44.12% 34.12%
0.18% WPE 1.64% 2.51% 0.43% -2.20% -8.31%
OPT 2
Kerry 50.72% <maximize
Bush 49.28%
HighBush High Kerry
1250 40 415 540 165 90
Kerry% 20% 40% 50% 60% 80%
0.53 Resp 50.30% 53.11% 54.04% 51.24% 50.67%
1.06 alpha 1.01 1.06 1.08 1.02 1.01
663 Resp 20 220 292 85 46
344 K Resp 4 94 158 52 37
318 B Resp 16 127 134 33 9
290 K Ref 4 78 124 48 36
298 B Ref 16 117 124 32 9
634 TotalK 8 171 282 100 72
616 TotalB 32 244 258 65 18
49.28% BPct% 79.9% 58.7% 47.8% 39.2% 19.5%
47.95% BExit% 79.9% 57.5% 46.0% 38.5% 18.9%
1.33% WPE 0.1% 1.2% 1.9% 0.7% 0.5%
OPT 3
Kerry 71.61%
Bush 28.39% <minimize
High Bush High Kerry
1250 40 415 540 165 90
Kerry% 20% 40% 50% 60% 80%
0.53 Resp 100.0% 6.3% 100.0% 0.0% 62.5%
1.06 alpha 2 0.127 2 0 1.25000001
663 Resp 40 26 540 0 56
614 K Resp 16 1 540 0 56
49 B Resp 24 25 0 0 0
281 K Ref 0 156 0 99 27
306 B Ref 0 233 0 66 7
895 TotalK 16 157 540 99 83
355 TotalB 24 258 0 66 7
28.39% B Pct% 60.00% 62.21% 0.00% 40.00% 7.50%
B Exit% 60.00% 94.94% 0.00% #DIV/0! 0.00%
WPE 0.00% -32.73% 0.00% #DIV/0! 7.50%
OPT 4
Kerry 50.30% <minimize
Bush 49.70%
HighBush High Kerry
1250 40 415 540 165 90
Kerry% 0.2 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.8
0.53 Resp 89.7% 57.3% 50.9% 46.6% 41.2%
1.06 alpha 1.79 1.15 1.02 0.93 0.82
662 Resp 36 238 275 77 37
329 K Resp 13 109 140 43 24
333 B Resp 23 129 135 34 13
300 K Ref 1 71 133 53 42
288 B Ref 3 106 133 35 11
629 Total K 14 180 272 96 67
621 Total B 26 235 268 69 23
B Pct% 65.8% 56.6% 49.6% 41.9% 25.8%
B Exit% 64.1% 54.1% 49.1% 44.1% 34.1%
WPE 1.6% 2.5% 0.4% -2.2% -8.3%
OPT 5
Kerry 54.97% < maximize; Response rates [30%,70%]
Bush 45.03%
High Bush High Kerry
1250 40 415 540 165 90
Kerry% 20% 40% 50% 60% 80%
0.53 Resp 30.0% 30.0% 70.0% 55.6% 62.5%
1.06 alpha 0.60 0.60 1.40 1.11 1.25
663 Resp 12 125 378 92 56
413 K Resp 1 30 265 61 56
249 B Resp 11 95 113 31 0
274 K Ref 6 116 81 44 27
314 B Ref 22 174 81 29 7
687 TotalK 7 146 346 105 83
563 TotalB 33 269 194 60 7
B Pct% 82.4% 64.8% 36.0% 36.3% 7.5%
B Exit% 88.0% 76.0% 30.0% 33.3% 0.0%
WPE -5.6% -11.2% 6.0% 3.0% 7.5%
OPT 6
Kerry 50.35%
Bush 49.65% < maximize; Response rates [30%,70%]
High Bush High Kerry
1250 40 415 540 165 90
Kerry% 20% 40% 50% 60% 80%
0.53 Resp 70.0% 58.1% 51.5% 47.1% 41.6%
1.06 alpha 1.40 1.16 1.03 0.94 0.83
663 Resp 28 241 278 78 37
332 K Resp 8 112 143 44 25
330 B Resp 20 129 135 34 13
297 K Ref 2 69 131 52 42
290 B Ref 10 104 131 35 11
629 TotalK 10 182 274 96 67
621 TotalB 30 233 266 69 23
B Pct% 74.4% 56.2% 49.2% 41.6% 25.6%
B Exit% 72.0% 53.5% 48.5% 43.5% 33.5%
WPE 2.4% 2.7% 0.7% -1.8% -7.9%
OPT 7
Kerry 54.19%
Bush 45.81% < minimize; Response rates [30%,70%]
High Bush High Kerry
1250 40 415 540 165 90
Kerry% 10% 30% 50% 70% 90%
0.53 Resp 30.0% 30.0% 66.8% 70.0% 55.6%
1.06 alpha 0.60 0.60 1.34 1.40 1.11
662 Resp 12 125 360 116 50
427 K Resp 1 22 241 113 50
236 B Resp 11 102 120 2 0
250 K Ref 3 87 90 35 36
337 B Ref 25 203 90 15 4
677 TotalK 4 110 330 148 86
573 TotalB 36 305 210 17 4
B Pct% 91.2% 73.6% 38.8% 10.4% 4.4%
B Exit% 94.0% 82.0% 33.2% 2.0% 0.0%
WPE -2.8% -8.4% 5.6% 8.4% 4.4%
OPT 8 Requires high Bush response in Kerry precincts
Kerry 48.08%
Bush 51.92% < maximize; Response rates [30%,70%]
High Bush High Kerry
1250 40 415 540 165 90
Kerry% 10% 30% 50% 70% 90%
0.53 Resp 70.0% 64.5% 48.7% 41.9% 38.2%
1.06 alpha 1.40 1.29 0.97 0.84 0.76
663 Resp 28 268 263 69 34
300 K Resp 4 104 128 41 24
362 B Resp 24 164 135 29 11
301 K Ref 1 44 138 67 50
287 B Ref 11 103 138 29 6
601 TotalK 5 148 267 108 74
649 TotalB 35 267 273 57 16
B Pct% 87.2% 64.4% 50.6% 34.7% 18.1%
B Exit% 86.0% 61.3% 51.3% 41.3% 31.3%
WPE 1.2% 3.1% -0.7% -6.5% -13.2%
OPT 9
Kerry 48.08% < minimize; Response rates [30%,70%]
Bush 51.92%
High Bush High Kerry
1250 40 415 540 165 90
Kerry% 10% 30% 50% 70% 90%
0.53 Resp 70.0% 64.5% 48.7% 41.9% 38.2%
1.06 alpha 1.40 1.29 0.97 0.84 0.76
663 Resp 28 268 263 69 34
300 K Resp 4 104 128 41 24
362 B Resp 24 164 135 29 11
301 K Ref 1 44 138 67 50
287 B Ref 11 103 138 29 6
601 TotalK 5 148 267 108 74
649 TotalB 35 267 273 57 16
B Pct% 87.2% 64.4% 50.6% 34.7% 18.1%
B Exit% 86.0% 61.3% 51.3% 41.3% 31.3%
WPE 1.2% 3.1% -0.7% -6.5% -13.2%
OPT 10
Kerry 54.19% < maximize; Response rates [30%,70%]
Bush 45.81%
High Bush High Kerry
1250 40 415 540 165 90
Kerry% 10% 30% 50% 70% 90%
0.53 Resp 30.0% 30.0% 66.8% 70.0% 55.6%
1.06 alpha 0.60 0.60 1.34 1.40 1.11
662 Resp 12 125 360 116 50
427 K Resp 1 22 241 113 50
236 B Resp 11 102 120 2 0
250 K Ref 3 87 90 35 36
337 B Ref 25 203 90 15 4
677 TotalK 4 110 330 148 86
573 TotalB 36 305 210 17 4
B Pct% 91.2% 73.6% 38.8% 10.4% 4.4%
B Exit% 94.0% 82.0% 33.2% 2.0% 0.0%
WPE -2.8% -8.4% 5.6% 8.4% 4.4%
OPT 11
Kerry 51.08% < maximize; Response rates [50%,56%]
Bush 48.92%
High Bush High Kerry
1250 40 415 540 165 90
Kerry% 20% 40% 50% 60% 80%
0.53 Resp 50.0% 50.0% 54.1% 56.0% 56.0%
1.06 alpha 1.00 1.00 1.08 1.12 1.12
663 Resp 20 208 292 92 50
352 K Resp 4 83 158 62 45
310 B Resp 16 125 134 30 5
286 K Ref 4 83 124 44 32
301 B Ref 16 125 124 29 8
639 TotalK 8 166 282 106 77
611 TotalB 32 249 258 59 13
B Pct% 80.0% 60.0% 47.8% 36.0% 14.6%
B Exit% 80.0% 60.0% 45.9% 32.8% 10.4%
WPE 0.0% 0.0% 1.9% 3.2% 4.2%
OPT 12
Kerry 50.56%
Bush 49.44% < maximize; Response rates [50%,56%]
High Bush High Kerry
1250 40 415 540 165 90
Kerry% 20% 40% 50% 60% 80%
0.53 Resp 56.0% 56.0% 51.9% 50.0% 50.0%
1.06 alpha 1.12 1.12 1.04 1.00 1.00
663 Resp 22 232 280 83 45
340 K Resp 5 104 145 50 36
322 B Resp 17 128 135 33 9
292 K Ref 4 73 130 50 36
296 B Ref 14 110 130 33 9
632 TotalK 9 177 275 99 72
618 TotalB 31 238 265 66 18
B Pct% 78.7% 57.3% 49.0% 40.0% 20.0%
B Exit% 77.6% 55.2% 48.1% 40.0% 20.0%
WPE 1.1% 2.1% 0.9% 0.0% 0.0%
OPT 13
Kerry 50.56% < minimize; Response rates [50%,56%]
Bush 49.44%
High Bush High Kerry
1250 40 415 540 165 90
Kerry% 20% 40% 50% 60% 80%
0.53 Resp 56.0% 56.0% 51.9% 50.0% 50.0%
1.06 alpha 1.12 1.12 1.04 1.00 1.00
663 Resp 22 232 280 83 45
340 K Resp 5 104 145 50 36
322 B Resp 17 128 135 33 9
292 K Ref 4 73 130 50 36
296 B Ref 14 110 130 33 9
632 TotalK 9 177 275 99 72
618 TotalB 31 238 265 66 18
B Pct% 78.7% 57.3% 49.0% 40.0% 20.0%
B Exit% 77.6% 55.2% 48.1% 40.0% 20.0%
WPE 1.1% 2.1% 0.9% 0.0% 0.0%
OPT 14
Kerry 51.08%
Bush 48.92% < minimize; Response rates [50%,56%]
High Bush High Kerry
1250 40 415 540 165 90
Kerry% 20% 40% 50% 60% 80%
0.53 Resp 50.0% 50.0% 54.1% 56.0% 56.0%
1.06 alpha 1.00 1.00 1.08 1.12 1.12
663 Resp 20 208 292 92 50
352 K Resp 4 83 158 62 45
310 B Resp 16 125 134 30 5
286 K Ref 4 83 124 44 32
301 B Ref 16 125 124 29 8
639 TotalK 8 166 282 106 77
611 TotalB 32 249 258 59 13
B Pct% 80.0% 60.0% 47.8% 36.0% 14.6%
B Exit% 80.0% 60.0% 45.9% 32.8% 10.4%
WPE 0.0% 0.0% 1.9% 3.2% 4.2%