New Orleans is a city with strong opinions, deep civic engagement and a distinct Gulf Coast identity. At EmCee Research, we recruit for political focus groups that help campaigns, advocacy organizations and public affairs teams understand what voters are thinking and why.
We provide targeted recruiting and build reliable focus groups that deliver the actionable insights that drive campaigns and policy changes.
Overcoming Recruiting Challenges
Recruiting for political focus groups presents unique challenges distinct from recruiting for commercial focus groups and mock juries. Businesses target specific consumers who buy their product or from who they want to hear and mock juries are designed to mirror actual seated juries in the jurisdiction, but almost every adult can vote, and political groups need to understand all the electorate’s different constituencies.
One campaign, party or interest group may need to hear from likely voters, undecided voters and their base across demographic, psychographic and behavioral groups. Our full time staff recruiters know how to create focus group panels that either bring together specific groups, such as white men 45-60 who work in the energy industry, or to create blended panels with voter across demographic, psychographic and behavioral groups.
Additional screening for reliable results
Political focus groups often require attitudinal screening in addition to demographic quotas. Depending on the panel composition required, our recruiters may ask participants about:
- Their views on specific issues (taxes, education, crime, energy policy)
- How they voted in the last election
- Whether they consider themselves conservative, moderate or liberal
- Their level of engagement with local or national politics
Screening about political views is more subjective and more sensitive than asking about consumer habits and if a potential participant uses a particular brand of soap. Political screening requires additional trust, clarity and careful question design to avoid biasing responses or alerting participants to the study’s sponsor.
Recruiting for your panel
Recruiting for political focus groups is about assembling the right mix of voices to help campaigns and interest groups understand how their message is received, where vulnerabilities exist and what language moves voters.
At EmCee Research, we bring the same rigor to political recruiting that we apply to commercial and legal research. We know how to find likely voters, screen for undecideds and build groups that reflect the complexity of the electorate. That precision is what turns a focus group from a conversation into a strategic asset. Contact us to discuss how we can help build your next focus group.