MethodologyWeightingDisclosure
Gold Standard Pollsters
PSI designates a small set of pollsters as Gold Standard when they meet PSI criteria for consistency, transparency, and real-world accuracy in tracking public sentiment. Gold Standard polls are weighted up in PSI polling averages.
Note: “Gold Standard” is a PSI internal designation and may evolve as disclosure and performance change.
PSI CriteriaBack to Methodology
Accuracy
- • Demonstrates repeatable performance across environments
- • Produces stable, trackable readings suitable for time-series
- • Avoids extreme methodological drift without disclosure
Transparency
- • Field dates and sample size
- • Defined universe (A/RV/LV) and mode when available
- • Sponsor disclosure and/or full release notes when applicable
Standards Compliance
- • Clear toplines and consistent formatting
- • Prefer question wording consistency for trackers
- • Auditable releases (public-facing or verifiable)
PSI Gold Standard list
These pollsters receive an upweight in PSI daily averages when required fields are present.
8 pollsters
Disclosure
Field dates
Sample size
Sample type
Methodology
Sponsor
Why PSI includes it
- • Consistent performance and recognizable house style across cycles.
- • Pioneer in online data collection in 2016; developed methodology to eliminate response bias in polling.
- • Strong understanding of the Trump coalition & politics in the Trump era.
Disclosure
Field dates
Sample size
Sample type
Methodology
Sponsor
Why PSI includes it
- • High-frequency tracking suitable for time-series modeling.
- • Asks questions many firms avoid, creating additional signal for sentiment measurement.
- • Leadership emphasizes issue salience and continuous feedback from the public.
Disclosure
Field dates
Sample size
Sample type
Methodology
Sponsor
Why PSI includes it
- • Strong performance in recent cycles in both national and swing-state environments.
- • Publishes politician approvals and trendable releases.
- • Often provides high-signal readings suitable for aggregation when documentation is present.
Disclosure
Field dates
Sample size
Sample type
Methodology
Sponsor
Why PSI includes it
- • Newer pollster with strong early performance in select environments.
- • Demonstrated accuracy in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race (April 2025).
- • Competitive performance vs. industry in NJ/VA gubernatorial contexts (2025) per PSI review.
Disclosure
Field dates
Sample size
Sample type
Methodology
Sponsor
Why PSI includes it
- • Longstanding, widely-cited pollster with consistent reporting format.
- • Broad coverage across national and state environments.
- • Historically competitive accuracy vs. industry averages across cycles (PSI review).
Disclosure
Field dates
Sample size
Sample type
Methodology
Sponsor
Why PSI includes it
- • Historically competitive performance in select cycles (PSI review).
- • Recognizable approach and consistent structure across cycles.
- • Adds methodological diversity to aggregates when disclosures are present.
Disclosure
Field dates
Sample size
Sample type
Methodology
Sponsor
Why PSI includes it
- • Often produces timely reads with clear toplines.
- • Useful short-window signal contributor for trend updates.
- • Included for PSI upweighting when disclosure meets minimum standards.
Disclosure
Field dates
Sample size
Sample type
Methodology
Sponsor
Why PSI includes it
- • Timely releases with clear toplines.
- • Performed well in PSI review of 2024 national/state releases.
- • Produces structured releases that are easy to audit and aggregate.
Want PSI to review a pollster?
If you have a release with field dates, sample details, and documentation, send it over.