THE APEX TIMES
Report: Wedgewood Polls founder admitted fabricating poll results after FiftyPlusOne inquiry
A Michigan-focused polling website, Wedgewood Polls, allegedly acknowledged it produced fake survey numbers tied to coverage of Abdul El-Sayed as FiftyPlusOne prepared to publish an investigation, according to a New York Post report published Oct. 21.
Wedgewood Polls, described in a Oct. 21 report as a sham polling operation, publicly acknowledged it had been fabricating poll results, after it was confronted during an investigation planned by FiftyPlusOne, according to the New York Post.
The report says the site’s founder and participants “fessed up” after what it characterizes as “election nerds” at FiftyPlusOne uncovered that Wedgewood had been publishing fabricated data. The article frames the fabrication as having been “far too easy” to create, but it does not provide underlying documentation or a primary filing in the record provided for this report.
According to the New York Post, the fake polls were tied to coverage intended to help Michigan candidate Abdul El-Sayed, whose name appeared in connection with the published polling figures. The report does not provide additional evidentiary details in the supplied material about who commissioned the numbers or what specific claims were made in the fabricated polls beyond their alleged political association.
The episode centers on the role of polling aggregates and polling-adjacent content in political news ecosystems. Even when polls are not official election results, fabricated polling can influence media narratives and public perception, and it can raise questions about data integrity, transparency, and safeguards for election-related information.
The New York Post report indicates the disclosure occurred before FiftyPlusOne published its planned investigation, suggesting the confrontation prompted an earlier admission than would otherwise have taken place. The reporting also characterizes Wedgewood Polls as a “sham polling firm,” though the supplied record does not include court filings, regulatory complaints, or statements from Michigan election officials.
No agency action, lawsuit, or criminal case is described in the supplied material. As a result, the legal status of the admission and whether any enforcement steps have been initiated cannot be confirmed from the information provided for this story.
If additional documentation emerges, the most immediate questions would include whether the fabricated results were circulated under any recognizable methodology or disclaimers, whether any platforms republished the numbers without verification, and whether any election administration, consumer protection, or fraud authorities have received complaints related to the conduct described in the report.
Why It Matters
- Fabricated polling can undermine public trust in election-related information even when it does not change certified election outcomes.
- The timing, described as occurring before a planned investigation was published, suggests confrontation or verification efforts may influence how quickly misinformation is acknowledged.
- Because the supplied record does not show enforcement actions, accountability and legal consequences would depend on what documentation, complaints, or referrals follow.
- If polling-like numbers were widely shared, media verification practices and transparency standards for election-adjacent content may come under renewed scrutiny.
Key Facts
- A New York Post report says Wedgewood Polls publicly acknowledged it fabricated poll results.
- The report links the alleged fabrication to coverage involving Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan.
- The admission is described as occurring after FiftyPlusOne prepared to publish an investigation.
- The supplied material does not include court filings, regulatory actions, or statements from election officials.
- The record provided does not identify any specific methodology details or supporting documents for the fabricated polls.