The Labor Department puts out its monthly employment report out tomorrow. The numbers will undoubtedly shape the way some undecided voters lean on election day.
In addition to the official report, the polling firm Gallup calculates its own unemployment rate using data gathered from 30,000 people the organization polls each month. Unlike the government’s end-of-the-month tally, Gallup’s numbers are updated continuously.
Gallup editor-in-chief Frank Newport says he expects a positive jobs report for October: “Based on our trends…it would not be out of the question if the government were to report a drop from 7.8 percent tomorrow, even though the consensus it will stay the same or maybe even go up a point.”