21.   A department spokeswoman, asking not to be identified, said the outcome corresponded to the findings of five separate independent monitoring groups and polling firms.

22.   Askin said it would have been very expensive to hire a polling firm but it would have been more effective.

23.   But a rival polling firm, SWG, issued exit polls in some of the same regions showing completely different results.

24.   But the poll conducted by the Institute for Democracy in South Africa and the Markinor polling firm showed backing for opposition parties is scattered and minimal.

25.   But with a large number of undecided voters, the race remains a dead heat, the polling firm reported.

26.   Cedatos, the polling firm in charge of surveying Ecuador, released the results in Quito Monday.

27.   Luis Vicente Leon, president of Datanalisis, a polling firm, criticized both sides.

28.   Sofres, a top polling firm, says one in four French people have voted for Le Pen or his party at some point.

29.   The Costa Rican polling firm of Borge and Associates said its poll had a margin of error of five percentage points.

30.   The most popular genres are detective and adventure novels, romances, fantasy and science fiction, the polling firm said.