Frequently Asked Questions
Questions for the SLU/YouGov Poll can be broken down into three overlapping categories.
First, there is a “core” set of questions that will be asked on every survey to shed light on how Missourians’ opinions changed over time (e.g. their perceptions of the economy or crime).
Second, there are questions that directly contribute to Saint Louis University faculty’s research agendas.
Third, there are questions aimed to be relevant to current events or the immediate needs of the Missouri community.
In recent polls, this includes questions on the COVID-19 pandemic and race relations. To build these sets of questions, the SLU Poll directors actively seek input and feedback from across Saint Louis University and encourage the Saint Louis University community to approach the directors with suggestions.
The SLU Poll team welcomes recommendations for questions to ask on future polls. To suggest a question, contact SLU Poll Director Steven Rogers, Ph.D. Please note, space may be limited on polls.
Within six months of each survey, individual-level responses will be posted to the SLU Poll website.
Respondents to the SLU Poll are self-reported likely voters in the state of Missouri drawn from a sample of respondents recruited by YouGov. Most YouGov panelists are individuals who have made an account on yougov.com to receive periodic notifications about new surveys. Others are recruited live from online advertisements or other survey providers. YouGov respondents are compensated by points for taking each survey. Respondents can exchange accumulated points for gift cards and other prizes.
YouGov interviews Missouri registered voters with the goal of screening for and surveying likely voters in the next election. The registered voter sample is matched to a sampling frame, from which the target sample of likely voters is identified. Respondents are matched to the sampling frame on gender, age, race and education. The sampling frame is constructed by stratified sampling from the Missouri subset of the 2024 Current Population Survey 1-year sample, with selection within strata by weighted sampling with replacement (using the person weights on the public use file).
YouGov uses propensity score weighting. The matched cases are weighted to the sampling frame using propensity scores. The matched cases and the frame are combined, and a logistic regression is estimated for inclusion in the frame. The propensity score function includes age, gender, race/ethnicity, years of education, and home ownership. The propensity scores are grouped into deciles of the estimated propensity score in the frame and post-stratified according to these deciles.
The weights are then post-stratified on 2024 presidential vote choice, as well as a four-way stratification of gender, age (four categories), race (four categories), and education (four categories). The weighted dataset of registered voters is then subsetted to the likely voter sample, and the weights are trimmed and recentered around one to produce the final weights.
There are two versions of the February 2026 poll results because YouGov conducted a review and updated its methodology in 2026. Results using these new weights are available in documents labeled "September Revision." The results from the original March release remain online for transparency.
The revised weighting methodology makes two improvements. First, it uses more recent demographic benchmarks for Missouri registered voters, which YouGov finished processing after the February SLU/YouGov Poll was completed. Second, it accounts for additional demographic characteristics and relationships among them. To align the February poll with the more detailed approach that will be used going forward, YouGov has updated the weights for the February poll. While the original weights were valid, these updates should improve the representativeness of the results and comparability across waves.
The underlying survey responses and sample have not changed. However, the revised weights result in slight changes to some survey estimates and the margin of error. This is because more detailed weighting can increase variation in the influence individual respondents have on the results. The revised results supersede the previously published version and should be used when comparing the February 2026 study with subsequent waves.
In 2020, Saint Louis University/YouGov polls were funded by a grant from the Saint Louis University Research Institute’s Big Idea’s competition. The 2021 SLU/YouGov Poll was additionally funded through support from the Saint Louis University School of Education. The SLU/YouGov Poll also receives support from individual SLU researchers who lease time on the survey instrument for their independent research projects.