How to make objects countable to get if-statements working

Data doesn't get inserted into the database because it doesn't pass the if-statements. I am currently making a form to insert polls and corresponding answers into the database. Apparently the variables in the if-statements are non-countable objects (e.g. $answers, $rows. How do I make these countable, do I have to make them arrays? Or do I have to completely change the if-statements? These statements are going wrong:
if (count($answers) <= 1)
if (count($rows) == 0)
foreach($answers as $answer)

Here is my code:

if ($_SERVER["REQUEST_METHOD"] == "POST")
{
    // get form data and escape it properly
    $poll = strip_tags($_POST["poll"]);
    $rawAnswers = strip_tags($_POST["answers"]);

    //
    $formattedAnswers = str_replace(", ", ",", $rawAnswers);
    $answers = explode(",", $formattedAnswers);

    // add answers to database
    include("opendb.php");

    if (count($answers) <= 1) {
        echo "<p>It makes no sense to add less than or equal to one answer.</p>";
    } else {
        // add poll to database if it is not already there
        $pollNewCheck = $db->prepare('SELECT * FROM polls WHERE poll = ?');
        $pollNewCheck->bindValue(1, $poll, PDO::PARAM_STR);
        $pollNewCheck->execute();
        $rows = $pollNewCheck->fetch();
        if (count($rows) == 0) {
            $pollQuery = $db->prepare('INSERT INTO polls (poll) VALUES ( ? )');
            $pollQuery->bindValue(1, $poll, PDO::PARAM_STR);
            $pollQuery->execute();
            echo "<h2>Poll added!</h2><p id=\"addedPoll\">$poll</p>";
        } else {
            echo "<h2>Existing poll!</h2><p id=\"addedPoll\">\"$poll\" is already in the database. The answers you entered have been added to it.</p>";
        }

        // get poll_id for added poll
        $pollIDQuery = $db->prepare('SELECT * FROM polls WHERE poll = ?');
        $pollIDQuery->bindValue(1, $poll, PDO::PARAM_STR);
        $pollIDQuery->execute();
        $row = $pollIDQuery->fetch();
        $pollID = $row[0];

        echo "<h3>These are the available answers you added:</h3>";
        echo "<ul>";
        foreach($answers as $answer) {
            $answerQuery = $db->prepare('INSERT INTO answers (answer, poll_id) VALUES ( ?, ? )');
            $answerQuery->bindValue(1, $answer, PDO::PARAM_STR);
            $answerQuery->bindValue(2, $pollID, PDO::PARAM_STR);
            $answerQuery->execute();
            echo "<li>$answer</li>";
        }
        echo "</ul>";
        echo "<p id=\"returnToPanel\"><a href=\"/admin.php\">Return to admin panel</a></p>";
    }
}