HOW THE POLL WAS CONDUCTED

The Star Tribune Minnesota Poll findings are based on telephone interviews conducted Sept. 30-Oct. 2 with a representative sample of 1,084 likely voters, out of a total sample of 1,205 Minnesota adults, 18 years old and older. Respondents were identified as likely voters based on their voting intentions and self-reported voting history.

Interviews were conducted under the direction of Princeton Survey Research Associates International. Results of a poll based on 1,084 interviews will vary by no more than 3.7 percentage points, plus or minus, from the overall population 95 times out of 100. Margins are larger for groups within the sample, such as Democrats and Republicans.

The poll does not include interviews with cell phone users.

Sampling error does not take into account other sources of variation inherent in public opinion surveys such as nonresponse, question wording or context effects. In addition, news events, such as the congressional rescue plan for Wall Street, may have affected opinions during the period the poll was taken. Readers can e-mail questions to djmcgrath@startribune.com.