Compared to western democracies, the polling industry in Georgia is relatively young. Our very first poll results didn’t start appearing in the media until 1990. However, the industry isn’t so young that it shouldn’t be able to accurately predict the winner of an election. But in order to accurately forecast voter behavior, two basic things need to be in place: A) you need to have a knowledgeable polling organization, and B) you need a fair and free pre-election period. Both professionalism and freedom work hand-in-hand in this case.