Following presidential polls has become an obsession for many voters, especially with the race between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris neck and neck less than a week before Election Day.
Emily Guskin, a 2009 Rutgers graduate who is the deputy polling director for The Washington Post, is on the frontlines reporting on the numbers and key issues facing voters this election.
We talked with Guskin – who specializes in public opinion about politics, election campaigns and public policy – about what it’s like to work for one of the biggest media outlets in the nation emersed in the polls that indicate Tuesday’s election could be historically close.
What’s it like to be crunching numbers with razor thin margins for The Washington Post during such a consequential presidential election?
It’s exciting and never slow! It’s great to work in a newsroom with so many smart people.
What did you study as a graduate student at Rutgers and how has your college experience shaped your career?
I got my master’s degree in public policy at the Bloustein School. I focused on survey research and learned from great professors like Cliff Zukin, Roland Anglin and Jocelyn Crowley. I also worked at the Bloustein Center for Survey Research and at the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development in my time at Rutgers.
In the summer between my first and second year at Bloustein, I interned at the polling department at ABC News leading up to the 2008 presidential election. All these experiences gave me the opportunity to be present at every step of the survey process: writing questions, administering surveys, analyzing data. All of it. Having that experience at Rutgers absolutely set me up for success in my career.
It sounds like you have a high-pressure job, especially during election season. What do you do to manage the stress so you can stay focused on what you do?
I love to run, to read books and complete crossword puzzles. I don’t have a lot of spare time now, but I’m looking forward to some travel with my partner and concerts with my friends after the election.
What was it like being part of the team that won a Pulitzer Prize for “American Icon”: an immersive series on the political salience and cultural impact of the AR-15?
It was special and a great honor. The work that all my colleagues put into this project was incredible and it’s unbelievable to be recognized by the Pulitzer Prize Board. I am so proud of our work, and I never imagined that what I do would be noticed in this way. You can read more about the “American Icon” project and our other Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalism this year here.
