Polling Firm Says It Used Fabricated Data in Surveys as an Experiment
A polling firm named Wedgewood Polls admitted to using fabricated data in its surveys as an "experimental project" to highlight weaknesses in the polling industry and media vetting processes. The revelation has caused concern over election poll reliability, with Michigan…
Sioux Falls, SD, October 23, 2026 —
Wedgewood Polls has acknowledged using fabricated data in its surveys, describing the work as an experimental project
intended to highlight weaknesses in the polling industry and media vetting processes. The firm’s data appeared in several major U.S. news outlets, according to the information provided.
The revelation has raised concerns about the reliability of election polling and how survey results are checked before publication. The available information does not identify the outlets, name the surveys, or say when the data was collected or published.
Mallory McMorrow, a candidate for the Michigan Senate, said fake poll numbers negatively affected her campaign by causing donations to dry up. The account provided does not specify which poll numbers she was referring to, when the impact occurred, or how the effect on donations was assessed. Her statement is not accompanied by further details about the campaign’s fundraising.
Wedgewood Polls characterized its use of fabricated data as an experiment aimed at exposing vulnerabilities in polling and media review practices. The information provided does not include further explanation from the firm, such as how the experiment was conducted, whether the data was labeled as fabricated when shared, or what safeguards were used.
The episode puts attention on two connected issues: the circulation of polling figures through news organizations and the potential consequences those figures may have for political campaigns. The specific methods by which the outlets obtained or reviewed the data are not provided, so it is not possible to describe how the fabricated figures passed through their vetting processes.
No dates, individual poll results, outlet names, or details about any subsequent corrections or reviews were included in the information available. The account also does not say whether Wedgewood Polls has changed its practices following the disclosure.
Story summarized from the original created by Connor Greene on time.com, see more information here.
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