Remember Mark Twain's famous quote "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics". Nothing conveys a lie better than statistics because most people do not understand statistics and how to read them. So if they are told this is what it says, they believe it.
Also, some people have a real talent for creating graphical representations that can totally hide or misrepresent the true facts. They are the most deceptive since you see what they want you to see and they scale the data or arrange the presentation so you do.
Todays generation of low information voters can't balance their checking account much less understand the polls and statistics vomited out by the media. So they take the path of least resistance and vote for the media's candidate not knowing the polls and statistics are rigged in those candidates favor.
Lastly, the timing of the polling and statistics may be a factor. By the time the poll results are released they may be outdated and totally inaccurate for the current status. So be careful how you interpret polls, statistics, and graphical presentations and know they can be deceiving or downright lies.
Excellent analysis which more or less follows the teachings of my professor of Statistics in College. I have never believed any “poll” was worth the powder and shot to blow it up. Unfortunately, as you state, far too many people are too lazy to think for themselves and therefor follow the dictates of others.