Michael Bocian is founding partner at GBAO, one of the leading Democratic polling firms in the country. In 2024, he helped elect Senator Ruben Gallego (AZ), re-elect Senator Martin Heinrich (NM) and worked on independent expenditure campaigns to elect Senator Elissa Slotkin (MI) and Governor Bob Ferguson (WA). He also helped Rep. Tom Suozzi (NY-3) and Rep. John Mannion (NY-22) flip Republican seats. In 2022, Bocian was named Pollster of the Year for his work on some of the biggest Democratic races in the country, including Senator Raphael Warnock (GA), Senator John Fetterman (PA), Governors Tony Evers (WI), Laura Kelly (KS), and Governor Tina Kotek (OR).

Bocian serves as pollster for 5 current U.S. Senators, 3 Governors, 13 members of Congress, and 6 other statewide office holders. In addition to his work with candidates, Bocian provides research and strategic guidance to a variety of progressive organizations including Senate Majority PAC, the DSCC, DGA, NEA, SEIU, AFSCME, ACLU, the Partnership for Safety and Justice, among others.

Bocian has conducted quantitative or qualitative research in all 50 states and worked on many of the major issues of our time – health care, climate change, education, immigration, foreign policy, criminal justice reform, reproductive health care, and others.

Bocian is one of the leading experts on ballot initiative campaigns and has directed the polling for several successful ballot initiative campaigns on issues including taxes, education, renewable energy, the minimum wage, paid sick leave, and workers’ rights.

Bocian received his Master’s in public policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and his Bachelor of Arts from Princeton University. He lives in Washington DC with his wife and daughter (with their other daughter in college).