Thursday, August 14. 2008

MAPPS Reports Meeting Attendee Members (and their guests) Preferences in U.S. Election: Why?

MAPPS reports (press release) the results of two polls taken at its recent meeting.

Senator John McCain topped Senator Barack Obama by an overwhelming 76% to 24% margin in a poll of MAPPS members conducted July 19-23.
...
McCain was also the choice in a poll of spouses, guest and others attending the MAPPS 2008 summer meeting. In a poll open to all conference attendees, McCain led Obama by a 64% to 36% margin.

The interpretation:

"The MAPPS members clearly prefer Senator McCain based on his record on business issues, taxes, foreign policy and national defense," said MAPPS Executive Director John Palatiello. "The margin in the poll demonstrates that MAPPS members view the 2008 Presidential election as a clear choice."

How does this activity, and the choice to publicly not only share but formally release the results fit with its mission and goals?

MAPPS is the most politically active association in the geospatial community. The association features a full time government relations staff in Washington, DC, sponsors the MAPPS Political Action Committee (MAPPS PAC), and hosts a Federal Programs Conference in March of each year in which members of MAPPS visit Capitol Hill for meetings with some 300 members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.

As a nonprofit, nonpartisan association organized under section 501(c)(6) of the Interal Revenue Code, MAPPS does not endorse any candidate or party. The poll was taken for informational purposes only and does not constitute an endorsement nor an attempt to influence any members, voters or elections.

Per the release, MAPPS took a similar vote in 2004, where members picked Bush. I'm sure this is all on the up and up legally. Is it valuable to members to take and publish results of such polls? Is it valuable to those reading the PR? Is it just a fun way to get MAPPS in the news? (Nothing wrong with that!) Do other professional or industry groups take such polls and publish results?