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Ann Selzer's life as a pollster spans more than three decades, launched from her doctoral work in communication theory and research at the University of Iowa in 1984. After a few years in a couple of research shops, she joined the staff of The Des Moines Register to run their prestigious Iowa Poll and to support the advertising department with original quantitative research. On March 4th of 1994, she marched forth to devote herself full-time to running her own company.
Selzer & Company's track record for accuracy in election polls – in Iowa and beyond – contributed to the firm's A+ rating from Nate Silver's influential website FiveThirtyEight.com. It was one of six such grades in a 2016 analysis of more than 350 polling firms.
Ms. Selzer is politically unaligned, which distinguishes her from most competitive polling firms.
Polling puts Ms. Selzer in the spotlight, but she attracts a wide range of clients, conducting audience development and strategic research for nonprofit organizations and for-profit companies. These include a grocery store chain, advocacy groups, health care organizations, financial institutions, universities, agencies, and a technology start-up.
She sings alto with the Des Moines Choral Society, has won a competitive Scrabble tournament, was awarded a blue ribbon at the Iowa State Fair, and was named Woman Business Owner of the Year in 2011 by the local business publication. A full life.