A new election poll conducted by the Regina Leader-Post and the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix suggests the Saskatchewan Party has a significant lead over the NDP as the province heads to the election next week.
The numbers suggest the Saskatchewan Party has the support of 54.2 per cent of decided voters, the NDP has backing from 33.7 per cent of decided voters and the Liberals are far behind with 8.1 per cent support.
According to the poll, just over 20 per cent of voters still have not decided who they will be voting for on Nov. 7.
The poll was the talk of the campaign trail Friday.
NDP Leader Lorne Calvert was putting a brave face on numbers that suggested the NDP's 16-year reign was poised to end.
"Well, miracles happen," he said.
Calvert said the poll could actually help his party.
"This poll is a call to action," Calvert said. "I have said from the outset of this campaign that this will be one of the toughest campaigns we've ever been in and the poll this morning confirms that."
Liberal Leader David Karwacki also called the poll a warning to voters.
Karwacki said a blowout for any one party is bad for democracy.
"What I'm asking Saskatchewan people to take a look at is, is it a good thing to have such a strong majority in the house? I don't believe that is a good thing, that in fact we do need other voices in the house to hold them to account."
Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall said his party isn't taking anything for granted.
"This is just a poll, that's all it is, and there's a lot of work to do," Wall said.
Wall said the only poll that really matters will be held on Nov. 7, when Saskatchewan people vote.
Jennifer Lang of the CBC research department said she considers the poll accurate as far as the entire province goes, but notes it doesn't provide insight into what's happening in different areas.
"The samples aren't quite large enough to tell us whether or not, you know, what's happening specifically in Regina and Saskatoon," she said.
"And that's good, that they're not trying to come up with predictions for the markets. Because we just can't dig down quite that deep."
The survey involved phone calls to 1,300 people in Saskatchewan between Oct. 26 and 30.
That was before the leaders debate, which means people's opinions following the debate are not accounted for.
A poll of that size has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
Related
Internal Links
Video
- Geoff Leo reports for CBC-TV (Runs: 2:43)
- Play: Real Media »
- Play: QuickTime »
Saskatchewan Votes 2007 »
- Saskatchewan Party wins majority government
- Only 10 years into its existence as a political force, the Saskatchewan Party will form a majority government and its leader Brad Wall will be the new premier.
- NDP had a 'good run in government'
- A desire for change pushed the NDP out of 16 years of rule in Saskatchewan, but leader Lorne Calvert said the party has no regrets.
- Liberals fail again to elect single MLA
- The third time was not a charm for Liberal Leader David Karwacki, as voters in Saskatoon Meewasin rebuffed his efforts for elected office.
- Shift in urban vote handed seats to Sask. Party
- The seeds of victory were sown in Regina and Saskatoon, where the Saskatchewan Party picked up five seats — but there were gains in other urban areas, too, that helped seal the election win.
- NDP holds on in Regina, but loses 3 seats
- Fortress Regina continued to stand for the NDP when the dust of Wednesday's election had settled, though its foundation was shaken by a trio of Saskatchewan Party wins.
Constituency Profiles
More Saskatchewan Votes Headlines »
- Saskatchewan Party wins majority government
- Only 10 years into its existence as a political force, the Saskatchewan Party will form a majority government and its leader Brad Wall will be the new premier.
- NDP had a 'good run in government'
- A desire for change pushed the NDP out of 16 years of rule in Saskatchewan, but leader Lorne Calvert said the party has no regrets.
- Liberals fail again to elect single MLA
- The third time was not a charm for Liberal Leader David Karwacki, as voters in Saskatoon Meewasin rebuffed his efforts for elected office.
- Shift in urban vote handed seats to Sask. Party
- The seeds of victory were sown in Regina and Saskatoon, where the Saskatchewan Party picked up five seats — but there were gains in other urban areas, too, that helped seal the election win.
- NDP holds on in Regina, but loses 3 seats
- Fortress Regina continued to stand for the NDP when the dust of Wednesday's election had settled, though its foundation was shaken by a trio of Saskatchewan Party wins.
