Reply #22: Do you apply the MOE to each candidate's percentage? [View All]

[snippy]

I have a vague recollection that the entire MOE can't be applied to each candidate's percentage for a mathematical reason which avoids "overlapping." It has been many years since I took statistics and I could be wrong. The number that sticks in my mind is that something like 1.8 times the MOE, rather than 2 times, is more accurate when determining whether the results are within the MOE.

An example would be Bush 54% Kerry 46% with a MOE of 4%. I think this is actually slightly outside the MOE with the numbers being Bush 50.4% and Kerry 49.6% after applying the MOE to each. But like I said I could be wrong, just ask my stats instructor.