Polling firm admits to faking results, a week before midterms: 'A communications experiment'

A new US polling firm, Wedgewood Polls, admitted to faking the results of more than a dozen polls published on leading websites, a week before the midterm elections. Democratic candidate Mallory McMorrow claims a fake poll caused donors to abandon her, leading to her withdrawal from the race. The firm said it was a communications experiment.

A new US polling firm, Wedgewood Polls, admitted to faking the results of more than a dozen polls published on leading websites such as the New York Times and FiftyPlusOne, a week before the US midterm elections. The firm claimed it was a 'communications experiment' designed to test whether media outlets would publish unverified data. Democratic candidate Mallory McMorrow, who was running in the Michigan primaries, claims a fake poll showing a drop in her support caused donors to abandon her, and she withdrew from the race. The fake polls also affected races in Wisconsin and Mississippi, where they led to an influx of Democratic funds. The firm shut down after raising suspicions. The article notes this is the second case within two months of a polling firm admitting to faking results.