SoonerPoll selected to conduct first major 2016 presidential straw poll at SRLC in May

SoonerPoll.com, Oklahoma's only independent, non-partisan pollster, has been selected by the Southern Republican Leadership Conference (SRLC) to conduct the first major presidential poll of the 2016 presidential race during its conference in Oklahoma City on May 21-23rd.

“This year’s event is unprecedented because of its proximity to the 2016 presidential race for which the SRLC Straw Poll will play a key role in gauging very involved Republican primary voters," said Steve Fair, Chairman of this year's SRLC.

Thousands of Republicans from fourteen states will gather to hear from potential 2016 presidential candidates  at the Cox Convention Center, as well as discuss policy and politics of the day, take part in grassroots training, and participate in the first major presidential straw poll.

The event, being held in Oklahoma City for the first time, has over the years featured every major Republican presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan, and is best known for its presidential straw poll.

"We are honored to be asked to conduct the straw poll at this year's conference," said Bill Shapard, CEO of SoonerPoll.  "Participants will be utilizing some of the most advanced methods of polling to participate in this year's straw poll across a broad array of devices."

Shapard went on to note that he hopes participation in the straw poll can be increased this year by utilizing newer technologies and more convenient methods of participation.

Voting in the straw poll will be active starting at 1:00 PM on the first day of the conference, May 21st, and end 10:00 AM on May 23rd.  Results of the straw poll will be announced at 1:00 PM.

About SoonerPoll.com

SoonerPoll is Oklahoma's only independent, non-partisan pollster, conducting and producing more publicly released polling on the opinions of Oklahomans than all other polling firms in the state combined. Founded in 2004, SoonerPoll has been the pollster of record for one of the state's largest newspapers, The Tulsa World, since 2005 and routinely performs polling for News 9 and News on 6, the state's most watched television news in both Oklahoma City and Tulsa.

In 2014, Nate Silver's 538Blog rated 337 pollsters in the nation, and SoonerPoll was rated the BEST pollster in the state of Oklahoma and in the TOP TEN percent of best pollsters in the nation.