The mayoral race in Mississauga is heating up, with three candidates, including both the current and former mayors, now closely competing among voters who have made up their minds or are leaning towards a choice, according to a recent poll.
Former mayor Bonnie Crombie has garnered 30 per cent support from decided and leaning voters, while current mayor Carolyn Parrish follows closely at 29 per cent, and city Coun. Alvin Tedjo stands at 26 per cent, based on findings from national public opinion research firm Liaison Strategies.
David Valentin, principal at Liaison Strategies, mentioned that these poll results suggest a competitive race is on the horizon for Mississauga.
Support for Tedjo has more than doubled since August in what was already a tight contest for mayor, as noted in a news release from the firm.
“In August, he was at 12 per cent, well behind two candidates tied at 35 per cent. He is now at 26 per cent, just four points behind Crombie and three behind Parrish,” Valentin stated.
Coun. Dipika Damerla holds 11 per cent support while four per cent indicated they would vote for another candidate outside of the top four choices.
WATCH | Highlights from Mississauga’s first mayoral debate of the election:
The Mississauga mayoral debate in 3 minutes
Mississauga’s leading mayoral candidates faced off in the first debate ahead of October’s municipal election. Check out some highlights.
Liaison conducted a poll with a random sample of 1,000 residents from Oct. 2 to Oct. 4 using interactive voice recording methods. Participants were contacted via landlines and cellphones.
The research firm reported that it weighted data to align with targets based on the latest census data from 2021; the poll carries a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points 19 times out of 20.
“This election is going to be close and we are taking absolutely nothing for granted,” said Crombie in an emailed statement. “Residents are worried about what things cost.. my focus is on practical, responsible solutions that will make life more affordable.”
In his statement, Tedjo expressed that people “simply can’t afford more of the same.”
“They’re hungry for fresh ideas, new solutions and a different direction for our city, and that’s exactly what our campaign is offering.”
A spokesperson from Damerla’s campaign mentioned they’ve received positive feedback but reiterated that only election day polls really count.
Parrish raised questions about the accuracy of this poll in her email statement and pointed out previous results from a Pallas Data poll where she led with 34 percent support among those surveyed.
She asserted those results “more accurately” reflect what her team has heard while engaging with residents door-to-door.
<
did not cover that poll due to concerns regarding its methodology – specifically how it was weighted – which didn’t align with our journalistic standards and practices.
Undecided Voter Percentage Remains Steady Despite Changes
Even though there’s been movement in voter preferences, the proportion of undecided voters remains unchanged since August at 26 percent according to Valentin.
Parrish’s approval ratings have also stayed steady since the last survey; currently sitting at 38 percent supporting her performance against 42 percent opposing it.
The analysis showed that support for Parrish doesn’t necessarily mean residents feel positively about how things are progressing in Mississauga.
Only 28 percent said they believe the city is heading in the right direction while almost half-48 percent-felt otherwise regarding Mississauga’s trajectory.
As election day approaches on Oct.26., worries surrounding affordability as an issue have risen from just under one-fifth (19 percent) back in August to now reaching one-quarter (25 percent) this October.
A further fifteen percent identified housing costs along with taxes as significant issues facing Mississauga today.
Source link
