Ron Paul Poll Experiment Results
This is it, the long awaited results of the Ron Paul Poll Experiment. Way back on November 1st, I posted a poll asking whether Ron Paul would get the GOP nomination. This poll was in response to a near constant onslaught of Ron Paul SPAM I’ve received on a couple of my websites (including this one), my myspace account and a couple of my email accounts. Oh yeah, and the fact that I’ve driven under a couple of overpasses and watched people hanging painted bed sheets from them.
The results of the poll look pretty straightforward and simple at first:
One might get the impression from these results that 351 people voted – 32% (112) in favor of Ron Paul “Absolutely” getting the nomination along with 9% voting “Probably” and another less confident 6% opting for “Maybe” he’ll be nominated. Well one would be wrong. Like I said, this was an experiment.
I wanted to see if any of what I have heard was true about Ron Paul supporters spamming polls and so forth. I know some have been filling my inbox on occasion but what about the polls? It does seem that Ron Paul does far better in online polls than in more real world examples. He does seem to do well in some straw polls as well.
I started by blocking all IP addresses that I’ve received any RP spam from already. Then I set up a poll and had it log and restrict votes by using HTTP cookies which require an intentional effort on the part of would be cheaters. IP addresses of voters were tracked although they were not used to restrict voting unless a large number from a single address showed up at one time. I posted the poll and allowed the voters to trickle in. The only promotion I did was to post a short YouTube video poking fun at what I have come to call the Ronbots. The expectation was for the “Ron Paul effect” to kick in and a flood of voters to show their support. I really did not care what the poll results were, I wanted to see how the votes were cast.
The effect may have kicked in but the voter turnout was about as disappointing as it is in the real world. I got a lot of hits and a lot of reloads, but not too many votes. My final conclusion is that there are many supporters who are normal people, however, there are also many who are completely nuts and willing to do anything to make Ron Paul look more popular than he really is. Am I the only one getting tired of the Ron Paul spamwagon?
In support of these conclusions I have decided to make some of the poll logs public.
Here are some votes sorted by IP address and cut out to protect the privacy of those who did not commit Paul Fraud.
(Click an image to enlarge)
Keep going, there’s more…
Still some more…
One does not have to be a statistician to see a few patterns emerging in the logs; all of which were for the “Absolutely” vote, I found no abnormal entries in the others. Each time I observed a pattern of fraudulent votes I blocked the offending IP addresses – an additional 491 votes were blocked from the IP addresses above.
Now I know there will be some that will say there is no organized effort amongst the followers to do this sort of thing. I thought of that too, so during my experiment I went to some of the forums linking to the poll and…
Now the fist few are nothing really bad per se, just “action alerts” or aggressive marketing, but these next few I think qualify as outright spam confessions…
And of course: organized digging with multiple accounts and cheating instructions…
And also what could only be described as an intentional attempt to sabotage other candidates campaigns…
With tactics like the “Money Vacuum” it’s no wonder people use the Ron Paul campaign to test stolen credit cards. See the original site here, of course I have the pictures because a lot of these posting seem to disappear with time like this one…
So if you have several accounts to Digg with, extra myspace accounts to spam with, some spare bed sheets to paint & hang from overpasses, and you want to flood opponents campaigns with tiny donations – you might have what it takes to be a Ron Paul grassroots activist. And if you’re going to do it the old fashioned way on the streets – don’t forget to hold extra signs so people will know you’re super serious about Ron Paul!
You may also want to sit around searching Google for Ron Paul polls to vote in…
You have way too much time on your hands. Do you think the 10s of thousands of supporters who donated to his campaign on the 5th are spammers who are completely nuts? How about the 5 thousand who made it to the Philly rally? How about instead of working with numbers from your failed experiments, you go to techpresident.com and get some real metrics to work with? You are not all bad, at least you are obsessed with Paul enough to spend hours setting up this eloborate but ultimately pointless exercise..
It’s funny: Paul is derided for his support by conspiracy theorists – yet so mean of you “completely nuts” critics of his jump through all sorts of hoops to prove that his support is not real and is just a conspiracy.
LogThis,
I never said conspiracy, did I? No I don’t think I did. I said spam, organized digging and such – never conspiracy.
I have no obsession with Ron Paul – I’ve made up my mind and he’s not even on my list. But none of the other candidates have such an annoying, albeit occasionally entertaining following.
I think I will copy 100opinions moniker for them “The Ron Paul Internet spamwagon Brigade” – Yep, sounds good to me.
I also never said his support was not real – I will say that it’s littered with juvenile delinquents with nothing better to do than troll around spamming the hell out of any forum that they can pry their way into. I suspect that much of the support is ill gained and will fade as people realize they cant use Digg in the real polls.
I’m posting this because I know you losers will object to it and post tons of comments about how wrong I am and how great Ron Paul is because he’s a millionaire who can raise millions of dollars from almost a million supporters. Yada Yada didy yada…
Meanwhile, back on earth… Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton can buy his hometown with their campaign debit cards.
Ron Paul supporters are easy to recognize, their signature headgear, when properly applied also keeps fat from dripping on your grill and flaring up. Also his name is Barry.
Ron Paul supporters not only appear when his name is invoked 3 times, it drives them crazy, an admittedly short trip.
The Federal Reserve killed most of Ron Paul’s supporters puppies.
If you’re bitten by a Ron Paul supporter if you don’t become one, you do become a carrier.
Where do Ron Paul supporters have their meetups? A house of mirrors.
Ron Paul supporters never get sick and can only be killed by decapitating them. There can be/is only one.
When Ron Paul returns to the Earth, his followers believe he will restore the constitution so well that the ink will smell wet and also miraculously restore the moat around America to its pre-civil war glory.
To a Ron Paul supporter the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution are collectively known as the Bill of WRONGS!
Every time a bell rings a Ron Paul supporter get his mouth very salivated.
Ron Paul supporters think everyone who doesn’t support him fears him like they fear getting abducted by aliens, again.
When the feces found in the U.S. Capital was determined to be Ron Paul’s, his supporters were quick to hail it the best idea, anywhere, ever and also delicious.
If Ron Paul falls in a forest, his supporter(s) will claim it’s because gravity is inherently unconstitutional.
Some claim Ron Paul supporters spam online polls, the truth is they just all have the same I.P. address because… Hey! LOOK kittens!
The most ardent of Ron Paul’s followers think the US government is too big when it has more people than the secret number Ron Paul has written on his magic anti-alien hemp underpants.
Um… Continuous resentment, you post a bunch of one-liners and RP supporters are meant to get offended at that? Maybe you need to try again, but this time misrepresent his positions if you want to get a rise out of us.
@malagent: truthers and juvenile delinquents aside, I have never seen a more enthusiastic group of followers who not only know but can defend their candidate’s positions. I don’t know what posts you have been reading, but there are usually two kinds of posters: people like our friend Continuous and yourself, who just like to come up with and apply labels (like spammer, complete nuts, The Ron Paul Internet spamwagon Brigade) and people who actually discuss his opinions, usually in a coherent and educated manner – the Paul supporters. And this level of knowledge of the man and his views is not just reserved for politics eggheads – rank-and-file Paul supporters all know and can defend the same stuff. Can Continuous say the same for Obama’s and Hillary’s rank-and-file supporters? Highly unlikely – they are just on one or other bandwagon. (Actually, in fairness, their positions are so undeveloped, inconsistent and fluid, I am not sure even the most researched supporters could say which way they definitively stand on some of our most pressing issues, let alone the minor ones.)
Will you at least give Paul credit for the clarity and consistency of his message?
And as for his supporters, what have you got against us being highly supportive of the man? It was the digg, comment and poll “spamming” that first introduced him to me, and it is the digg, comment and poll “spamming” that has given him enough enthusiastic supporters to set a record for most ever donated online (the overall record will be ours on Dec 16).
Most importantly, I think Paul is enjoying this and I know I am – it feels good to back such an honest, ethical, moral, logical, reasonable, erudite and principled man. The man can speak for hours on end without notes on his philosophy and his supporters will eat up his every word: what other candidate can claim that? Yeah – go ahead and tepidly support your run of the mill candidate, I will vehemently support my fringe one.
You have wasted an aweful lot of your time trying to prove something you can’t “Ron Paul doesn’t have support” December 16th is coming
Paul supporters are actual voters. You will feel quite foolish on December 17th. November 5th was a dry run. LOL
Supporters go make a donation to the Paul campaign in honor of this article. Thanks.
But after you blocked the spam votes there was still 50% or so that supported Paul.
The same with the Fox News debate polls, that actively blocked spamming. They found reduced Paul support, but still a clear majority.
And that page where they claim small donations were used to bring down the Paul donation tally, where is the evidence?
All you list is an anonymous blog entry screen shot claiming, without any hyperlinks that this was done. It looks all slick and pro but its still an empty argument.
Log This,
Re:
I would have to agree with the “enthusiastic” comment – I might elaborate upon it: in my experience the RP “followers” are a diverse group, ranging from excited, wholehearted, and committed, to those that are vehement, zealous, & fanatical, with everything in between covered as well. The former I opine are just wrong, the later are crazy and wrong.
I have tried to actually discuss the positions and opinions before, the result had always been a an abundance of frivolous posts and comments. Any time I’ve discussed Ron Paul giving my opinions which differ from most of the followers there would be an “action alert” on some Ron Paul forum and the Ronbots would be released in a concerted effort to bury the post on Digg, Reddit & others. Opposing views are welcomed when their not accompanied by the battle cries of the rabid follows of a man who in my view is crazy. In fact it only lends credence to my position.
Re:
Clear, consistent and wrong in many regards.
Re:
One can be highly supportive without spamming and fabricated hype. In fact it may prove to be more successful in the long run. What you are basically saying is that Paul followers, including yourself, are to simple minded to be interested in who is elected as the President of your country until you are flooded with spam. Then when you’ve been indoctrinated with fabricated support you jump on board?
As with all viral events I suspect the Ron Paul bubble will burst.
Re:
I will.
While I’m at it I will refrain from unethical activities such as but not limited to: SPAM, placing signs on other people’s property, placing stickers on other people’s property (including cars), making donations to other campaigns to bring down averages, and “action alerts” to skew poll results.
flo,
You have wasted an aweful lot of your time trying to prove something you can’t “Ron Paul doesn’t have support” December 16th is coming Paul supporters are actual voters. You will feel quite foolish on December 17th. November 5th was a dry run. LOL
Supporters go make a donation to the Paul campaign in honor of this article. Thanks.
I never once said he has no support. As for wasting time it’s quite the contrary actually. How is this wasting time? And just how much time is “a lot”? Do you know how much time I spent on this? I’m sure you did not when you commented. It was actually only about an hour and a half. Considering I’m retired and I work and play on the internet it’s time well spent.
I’m sure, as I stated in the post, that there are many normal people who also support Ron Paul. I would only feel foolish if I had stated something untrue. If RP does well in the real world of donations and votes I have no problem with that – aside from the fact that there well be some that donate and vote based on fabricated interest rather than their own research and ideology.
jmklein,
After I blocked the votes does not take into account the 77 fraudulent votes of the 112
jmklein,
Re:
I listed a link to the original, it is directly below the images. I will post it here for clarification as now when I look at it is not exactly obvious like a large blinking banner might be…
I’m not the only one who thinks the Ronbots are crazy.
It sure does not take long for the Ron Paul lunatic fringe to come out and start attacking anyone who dares speak ill of them or their leader…
Within minutes of the original post this was on Digg…
And a short while ago on YouTube…
And then those that want to portray your Ron Paul lunacy in a positive light should refrain from making remarks like this…
Using computers to link up Ron Paul supporters is far different than spam.
There is not a single campaign that isn’t using computer software to link up supporters.
Those who are spamming are idiots but do not represent the average Ron Paul supporter. Most of us just want to see the government’s power brought down to reasonable levels and for this out of control American Empire to end. We have troops in over 120 countries around the world. That coupled with the fact that we have the largest debt of any nation makes Ron Paul the only logical choice.
John Foster,
I never mentioned “using computers” to linkup supporters – I posted copies of posts that are admitting and encouraging the use of automated software to contact thousands of people per day, in a manner that is obviously SPAM, nothing less.
Wow, such a profound and enlightened statement – completely irrelevant though.
I’m sure every campaign is using computers, and they probably all have auto responders and mailing lists too. However, I’m talking about the fringe element here – not the campaign. I’m also talking about spewing thousands of messages through the use of “automated software” – not emailing people who have signed up and agreed to get messages.
Please explain to me how America is an empire? I really do want to know.
I fail to see the logic in that statement. You want RP as president because the most powerful and prosperous nation in the world has troops in a little over half of the countries of the world and we have the largest debt? Well we have the largest economy as well. I’m not saying that the debt is not an issue but what has your statement said about Ron Paul and how does that make him the “only logical choice”?
Ron Paul is in fear for his life yet he is going forward for us anyway – a true patriot.
There will be a revolution when Dr Paul is assaninated by the neocons and it’s going to be a bloody overthrow of the corrupt US government – it’s the only way to win this battle for our freedom!
rEVOLution -
Don’t blame me if I think you’re crazy. I think you’ve brought it upon yourself.
Vote for Ron Paul you infidels!
http://home.austin.rr.com/rlormand/images/infidel.JPG
Exitus act proba
We have to overthrow the gov before they take all our rights away, Ron Paul is our only hope but they will do everything to discredit and stop him.
I found it rather humorous that when, after the last Fox News republican debate with Hannity and Colmes, Ron Paul was asked why he does so well in online polls or polls in which votes for debate winners are sent in through cell phone text messages (such as was the case with the referenced debate) he comes out ahead every time, but in the national polls he doesn’t. Ol’ Ron responded “They don’t put my name on those.”
-William
http://www.William-Mac.com
http://www.ThisWeekinTime.com
Revolt,
I think your trying to say “exitus acta probat”
Meaning “The result justifies the deed” or the end justifies the means?
C’mon Malagent, give the Paulinistas a break, Ron Paul DOES have support, it’s just that they’re ALL moonbat idiots, and you know it’s not nice to make fun of the lame and retarded…
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Sophia…
once again i outdid yourself…
Irma…
once again i outdid myself…