NDP maintains comfortable lead but BC Greens may be the party to watch in final week as voters divided between picking the party they want, blocking the party they don’t. With a week to go before the final day of voting on October 24, the BC NDP continues to hold a double-digit lead (49%) over the second-place BC Liberals (33%). The Greens, at 14 per cent, remain stuck in third place with a less committed vote base than the other parties. However, with the Green leader’s momentum surging, it is worth noting the party is the most common second choice for voters who have not yet locked in their choice.

By DESIBUZZCanada Staff

VANCOUVER –Following the only televised debate in this pandemic BC election campaign, the latest poll still has BC NDP in a comfortable lead.

According to public opinion survey from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute suggests the story of a play in three acts.

The first, a frontrunner with the most to lose who appears to have emerged unscathed after an unsteady performance on a key question. The second, a political underdog who did not find a much-needed breakthrough with voters. And finally, a relatively unknown candidate whose introduction to the electorate is resulting in personal admiration, but crucially, no surge in vote intention.

Beyond the debate, these new data reveal an electorate hardly enthralled by the options available to them. As the province enters this last week of the campaign, voters are motivated equally by blocking the party they dislike (52%) versus a party they truly support (48%).

With a week to go before the final day of voting on October 24, the BC NDP continues to hold a double-digit lead (49%) over the second-place BC Liberals (33%). The Greens, at 14 per cent, remain stuck in third place with a less committed vote base than the other parties. However, with the Green leader’s momentum surging, it is worth noting the party is the most common second choice for voters who have not yet locked in their choice.

More Key Findings:

Among those who saw the debate or read about it and watched clips afterward, NDP leader John Horgan was chosen as having performed best by the largest number (29%). Green Party leader Sonia Furstenau was seen as best by 23 per cent, while 15 per cent chose Andrew Wilkinson, the leader of the BC Liberals.

John Horgan continues to be most appealing to voters. More than half of potential voters view Horgan this way (54%) compared to 46 per cent for Furstenau and just 24 per cent for Wilkinson.

Half of voters say they will support the BC NDP (49%) while one-in-three will vote for the BC Liberals (33%). Despite BC Green leader Sonia Furstenau’s strong showing Tuesday night, just 14 per cent say they will vote for her party, unchanged from before the debate.