The electro‐optic response in a cross‐linked nonlinear optical polymer has been determined as a function of the extent of curing that takes place after coating and drying a film of the material but prior to poling it. It was found that although the value of the electro‐optic coefficient was reduced by partially curing the film before poling, the decrease was minimal even in a fully cured film. Furthermore, the thermal stability of the electro‐optic response was unaffected by the extent of curing before poling. ©1995 American Institute of Physics.