By Sylvie Richards, Summer 2023 Collaborator at Power in Place
We want to extend our deep gratitude to Emily Kirby Goodman, Senior Principal at EMC Research, for speaking with our 2023 team about her inspiring career in polling as part of our 2023 Speaker Series! Her talk was extremely interesting, insightful, and informative, as we learned about her journey to a career in polling and politics and about the art of effective polling.
Goodman’s interest in politics bloomed as she grew up helping her mom, a council member and later mayor. After earning a degree in political science at Texas A&M University, she moved to Washington DC, and got an internship for a polling firm where she worked for six years. After getting a master's degree, Goodman returned to a career in polling where she continues to thrive. She has now worked for EMC research since 2012.
Emily Kirby Goodman gave our team many fascinating insights into the world of polling. In an extremely informative presentation, she introduced us to multiple polling approaches and how they are employed to effectively accomplish different goals. Goodman covered quantitative and qualitative methods, giving a comprehensive yet accessible overview of the research process, including research design, methodology, sampling, and challenges.
Additionally, she shared the important role that polling plays in politics, including in political campaigns, informing elected officials, gauging public opinion, and shaping public policy. Specifically, she depicted its impact on LGBTQ+ and women’s rights, using examples like California’s 2022 Proposition 1 which established and enshrined the rights to reproductive freedom and contraceptives in the Constitution. She explained how polling assisted in the development of the proposition and in strategically campaigning for its passage. These insights were especially informative for our purposes, as they are aligned with our goals to uplift politicians from historically marginalized communities.
Again, thank you Emily Kirby Goodman for expanding our knowledge on polling which will assist us in our goals, especially in researching and increasing Gen Z’s civic engagement. Thank you for your time and invaluable insights!
