Representatives of the USA International Agency for Development (USAID) jointly with representatives of the В"PA Consulting GroupВ" company announced on 16 September 2005 the results of the scheduled for 6 November 2005 exit poll in Azerbaijan at the news conference in Baku, Trend reports.
The co-director of the consulting company В"PA Consulting GroupВ" David Hoffman reported the “team on holding the exit poll is formed and it consists of, along with representatives of the American TV companies В"NBCВ" and В"ABC NewsВ", the Georgian company on sociological polls В"GORBIВ" and two Azerbaijani companies: В"SorguВ" (Poll) and the В"International Centre on Social StudiesВ".
В"All above-mentioned companies fully meet our 4 requirements: anonymity, transparency, neutrality and professionalism”, Hoffman said, noting, the company represented by him conducted over 1 500 exit polls in 90 countries worldwide.
Another co-director of the company Bob Baumgartner reported in his turn, that the poll will be conducted in 65 constituencies of the country. В"In each constituency per 15 polling stations will be selected, at which minimal 2 experts will be available. At the result, the total number of polling stations where the poll will be held will make up 975.
The poll will be held by “random” method and the respondents will be selected by the special computer program. В"Electors, wishing to take part in exit poll will have to fill the questionnaire with their own hands”, Baumgartner underlined, noting the list of the polling stations where the exit poll will take place is not identified yet.
All responses will be sent to the specially established Coordinating Center В"Exit PollВ", which will function and the poll’s results will be known on 6 November evening.
Baumgartner reported that in a week’ time a special Internet- site, where the results of the exit-poll of the parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan will be publicized is to be launched.
Replying the questions of Trend correspondent on the percentage of the admissible error of the forthcoming exit poll the USAID office coordinator in Baku James Qoqqin) noted that for Azerbaijan this indicator is +- 3,5 per cents.
В"This indicator is different for each country. On the results of our studies the limit of admissible error will fluctuate exactly within these boundaries”, Qoqqin said, noting involving the local companies in exit-polls pursues the only objective “to teach local institutions the methods of such polls for them to organize exit-polls independently in future.
В"The USA is interested in holding democratic elections in Azerbaijan”, the USAID spokesman underscored, and the American side will also voice its opinion on the results of the forthcoming elections in Azerbaijan.
