Monmouth University Polling Institute

The Monmouth University Polling Institute was a public opinion research institute located on the Monmouth University campus in West Long Branch, New Jersey. The Polling Institute was established in 2005, and was led by director Patrick Murray.^[1]

In 2022, the polling analysis website FiveThirtyEight had 120 Monmouth polls in its database, and gave the polling institute an "A" grade on the basis of its historical accuracy and methodology.^[2] The poll appeared on the list in 2014 with an A-minus, and received an A-plus in 2016, 2018 and 2020. The Institute is a signatory to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) Transparency Initiative.^[1] The Monmouth University Polling Institute closed in July 2025.^[3]

Methodology

The Monmouth University Poll was conducted in a multi-modal fashion, incorporating phone calls to landlines and cell phones, and online surveys delivered through text and email. Sample selection was conducted on a case-by-case basis depending on the survey topics. Polls were weighted for demographic factors like age and also incorporated partisan affiliation for political polls.^[4]

Recognition

In 2009, the institute's gubernatorial polling received national attention, including findings that indicated the eventual winner Chris Christie's weight was an issue for voters in the campaign.^[5]

In 2010, the institute's director Patrick Murray was named "Pollster of the Year" by PolitickerNJ and one of the 100 most influential people in New Jersey politics.^[6][7] Murray is an occasional contributor to the Huffington Post's Pollster page.^[8][9]

Closure

The polling institute closed on July 1, 2025. University president Patrick F. Leahy attributed the closure to the "considerable resources required" to operate the institute.^[3]

See also

• The Phillips Academy Poll
• Quinnipiac University Polling Institute
• Suffolk University Political Research Center
• Emerson College Polling
• Siena Research Institute
• Marist Institute for Public Opinion