The B.C. Green party has seen a jump in support from decided and leaning voters on Vancouver Island, according to the latest weekly Mainstreet polling numbers released ahead of the May 9 provincial election.
Andrew Weaver’s Greens went from 22 per cent support among those voters to 26 per cent, apparently pulling support evenly from the two leading parties. Premier Christy Clark’s Liberals dropped from 32 to 30 per cent, while John Horgan’s New Democrats went from 40 per cent to 38 per cent among Island voters.
The gap between the Greens and the other two parties widens, however, when the undecided “leaning” voters are excluded. Island voters calling themselves undecided stand at 25 per cent, up one percentage point from the previous week.
Those Island voters expressing a clear preference total 17 per cent for the Greens, 30 per cent for the NDP and 23 per cent for the Liberals.
Provincewide, decided Green support grew over the previous week, from 10 per cent to 12 per cent. The Liberals and NDP both dropped among B.C.’s decided voters, from 27 to 26 per cent for the Liberals, and from 32 per cent to 30 per cent for the NDP. The Conservatives led by Corbin Mitchell held steady at eight per cent of decided voters.
Still up for grabs is a provincewide prize of undecided voters, also holding steady at 23 per cent.
Mainstreet surveyed 1,500 B.C. voters from March 18 to 20 to get these results. The margin of error is plus or minus 2.53 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, For Vancouver Island-specific results, the margin of error is plus or minus six percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
“It’s a sharp uptick for the Greens this week — but the question is whether they will be able to maintain that support,” said Quito Maggi, president of Mainstreet Research. He said only 42 per cent of B.C. Green voters say their support is strong, significantly lower than for the other parties.
“Meanwhile, Green party leader Andrew Weaver continues to be a virtual unknown in the province, with over 50 per cent of voters saying they are not familiar with him or have no clear opinion,” Maggi said.
This week’s poll asked respondents about the Liberal government’s plan for a bridge to replace the Massey Tunnel between Delta and Richmond.
“Greater Vancouver residents are split,” Maggi said. “Thirty-one per cent support a 10-lane toll bridge while 29 per cent support the position of local mayors: A smaller, less expensive bridge with expanded public transit. Twelve per cent would like to see something else, while another 28 per cent are undecided.”
