Wayne A. Youngquist, a political analyst and a pollster who was noted for declaring election night winners on WISN-TV for more than 20 years, died Sunday, August 30, in hospice care following a short illness. He was 87 years old.

Mr. Youngquist taught sociology at a number of universities both before and after his television career. It was his effort to provide students with first-hand information that led him into journalism. He covered numerous political primaries and national conventions of both parties and was quoted regularly in the national news media. At Channel 12 he pioneered the projection of election winners based on his innovative exit and issue polling. He also had a Sunday talk show and covered international events.

Wayne Youngquist was born in Canada in Edmonton, Alberta and was adopted as an infant by Erik and Edith Youngquist and grew up in the Bay View area of Milwaukee. He was proud of becoming a US citizen at age five.

His eclectic career was foreshadowed as a student at the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee where he was a philosophy major, the student body president, and state AAU champion in track. He received a master's degree in sociology from Rutgers University and also was a Rockefeller Fellow at the Princeton Theological Seminar and a National Institute of Mental Health Fellow at Cornell University.

Before going into television Mr. Youngquist taught sociology at a number of schools including UWM, Ithaca College, Northern Illinois University and Marquette. He drove a taxi in Milwaukee during summers and school breaks.

He embarked on a renewed teaching career following his retirement from TV. He taught for 12 years at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater where he developed new courses in the sociology of homicide and terrorism. He also gave presentations at Oxford University in England.

Mr. Youngquist was active in professional and civic organizations. He was a president of the Milwaukee Press Club and a long-time member of the National Press Club. During his career he was active in the American Sociological Association and the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations. He was a fervent supporter of the Salvation Army and the Rescue Mission.