In an (unofficial) election campaign where more than half the electorate is available, the focus of party leaders over the next seven weeks shifts from winning over the masses to persuading malleable segments of the increasingly important uncommitted vote.
The most recent public opinion survey from the Angus Reid Institute shows every major party with a desire to form a national government will have to lock in a significant portion of moveable voters in order to achieve that goal.
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This reality provides significant opportunities – and burdens – for the main parties.
For example, while the opposition Conservatives currently boast the highest number of committed voters (25%), their own ability to grow the CPC base into government-forming territory is blunted by their perceptions of poor performance on issues most important to voters who have not yet locked in, specifically climate change and housing affordability.
Meanwhile, the Liberals have their own issues. On one hand, uncommitted voters are more likely to give the governing party under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau high scores on top issues for them. such as health care delivery and the climate change file. However, the ghosts of SNC-Lavalin continue to haunt. Another top, vote-moving issue– ethics and transparency in government – is one where the party elicits little trust.
More Key Findings:
- Uncommitted voters are more likely to be female (58%) than male (42%), with three-quarters of young women (74%), those under the age of 35, yet to decide on a party. Men over 55 are most likely to have locked in their choice for October already (61% say they have)
- The top issue overall for Canadians is climate change (23%). One-in-three 18 to 34-year olds choose this issue (33%), while it drops to second place for Canadians over 55 behind health care
- One-in-three uncommitted voters say they supported Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party in 2015 but are not yet locked in this time around. One-in-five say they supported the NDP (20%) and 15 per cent chose the Stephen Harper’s Conservatives
Read the rest of the story here: www.angusreid.org