"Polls are everywhere these days, and they're trying to tell us more than just who's up and who's down. As Elections and Surveys Director for CBS News, it's Anthony Salvanto's job to understand you--what you think and how you vote. He's the person behind so many of the poll numbers you see today. In [this book], Salvanto takes you on an engaging, fast-paced tour inside the world of polling and shows how to look at the numbers the way the pros do. Salvanto demystifies the jargon of polling and answers some of its biggest mysteries. How can pollsters talk to 1,000 people and claim to know the country? How do they decide who gets interviewed, what questions to ask--and why didn't they call you? How do they know the winner so quickly on election nights? And what's the difference between a poll and a prediction, anyway? Salvanto also addresses an even bigger question: Is America truly as divided as it seems? He goes beyond the horse race coverage to show how everyday Americans see the biggest issues of our time. The debates over gun control. The shocks of the financial crisis and deep mistrust that still lingers. The surprising and still controversial 2016 presidential election. He also looks to the future and provides a useful guide to how you should watch elections to come. Where Did You Get This Number? is an essential resource for anyone interested in politics--and for anyone interested in understanding how we measure people's opinions and decisions. Because while numbers are the language of polling, the stories they tell are ultimately about people."--Dust jacket.