In the aftermath of the November 5, 2024 election, NBC exit polls reported that 65% of Native American voters supported Donald Trump. However, Native American advocacy groups criticized the polling methodology, claiming it did not accurately represent their demographic.
NBC is part of the National Election Pool (NEP), which relies on Edison Research for voter surveys. Edison conducted polls in states including Georgia, North Carolina, Nevada, and Ohio, surveying voters at over 300 polling stations nationwide.
Critics pointed out that NBC's figure was inconsistent with other surveys. A study by Native News Online, in collaboration with Northwestern University and Qualtrics, indicated that only 51% of surveyed Native voters supported Trump. In contrast, a 2020 survey from Illuminative showed that 60% of nearly 5,000 Native Americans identified as liberal.
Stephanie Fryberg, a researcher at Northwestern University, questioned the small sample size used in the NBC poll, noting that 80% of respondents were from urban areas, which may skew results. She emphasized the need for more comprehensive sampling to accurately reflect Native voter preferences.
Rob Farbman, Executive Vice President of Edison Research, acknowledged the small sample size but stated it met NEP's criteria for subgroup reporting. He noted that results at the county level were still being analyzed and suggested that Trump performed better among American Indians compared to previous elections.
Allison Neswood from the Native American Rights Fund advised caution in interpreting exit polls, highlighting the necessity for more detailed data collection.