Gallup's national daily tracking poll gained some attention this past week. Some critics say the poll, which shows a solid lead for Governor Mitt Romney, is out-of-step with other national polls that indicate the race is much closer.
Nate Silver, who tracks polls at the New York Times blog Five Thirty Eight, says that technology is great for forecasting political races, if we use it correctly.
After the first presidential debate on Wednesday, the political polling season is about to kick into high gear. Why polls matter, and why we like them so much.