Abstract:

The Swedish election 1985 produced a surprisingly strong finish for the small Liberal party in Sweden - 14,50% compared to 5,90% in the previous electron in 1982. The polls had kept the party in the 5 to 7% range until the weeks before the election when they lifted the party to about 10%. All published polls, however, underestimated grossly the strength of the Liberal finish. The Swedish mass media and the pollsters have over the years developed an understanding that on the Election Day, election returns and nothing but the election figures should be published. There are no exit polls nor any last minute polls. Also the day before an election is free from polls. This has evolved as a tacit, unwritten agreement, a kind of tradition.