Is it wrong to lie to a political pollster?

• Author: Kaminer, Ariel
• Position: THE ETHICIST - Brief article

I voted for President Obama in 2008, and though I have reservations, I support his re-election. If a pollster calls to ask about Obama's job performance, may I lie to help his candidacy?

Anonymous, New Haven, CT

FIRST OF ALL, the obvious: You don't have to participate in any poll. If you do, you might be aiding the cause of democracy or doing the person on the phone--whether an earnest political science student or a lobbying outfit--a favor. Either way, mighty generous of you.

But not if you're filling the person's ear with inaccuracies, which is no more ethical than switching test tubes in a chemist's lab. Plus, you could mislead the candidate you do like just as much as the one you don't.

Sometimes a pollster's questions are so narrow that they don't allow you to express your opinions accurately. In such cases, make sure to phrase your...