Adrian Dix . . . maintains lead in polls
A new Angus Reid Public Opinion poll has found that Adrian Dix is now regarded as a better person to handle the provincial economy than Christy Clark.
The poll found the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) is keeping the upper hand in British Columbia, while the governing BC Liberals only attract about one-in-four decided voters in the province the firm said on its website.
The online survey of a representative provincial sample of 801 British Columbian adults also shows that NDP leader Adrian Dix holds a double-digit lead on the Best Premier question, and has surpassed Christy Clark as the best person to handle the provincial economy.
Voting Intention
Across British Columbia, 45 per cent of decided voters and leaners (-5 since May) would support the NDP candidate in their constituency in the next provincial election. The BC Liberals are still at 23 per cent, while the BC Conservatives have gained three points (22%). The BC Greens are fourth with eight per cent (+2).
The NDP continues to lead in all four regions of the province, with the support of at least two-in-five decided voters in the Interior (41%), Vancouver Island (46%), Metro Vancouver (47%) and the North (48%).
The BC Liberals are second in the North (29%) and Vancouver Island (26%), while the BC Conservatives are ahead of the governing party in the Interior (27%) and Metro Vancouver (24%).
The NDP holds a ten-point lead over the BC Liberals among male voters (39% to 29%), and garners the backing of half of women voters (51%). Only 17 per cent of female decided voters would support the BC Liberals, while 20 per cent would cast a ballot for the BC Conservatives. The New Democrats are particularly popular among voters aged 18-to-34 (50%) and 35-to-54 (47%).
As was the case in May, the low level of support for the BC Liberals is outlined in their paltry retention rate, which once again stands at 48 per cent. Roughly half of their voters in the 2009 election are now supporting the BC Conservatives (31%) or the New Democrats (18%). Conversely, the NDP is holding on to 86 per cent of their voters in the last provincial ballot.
Approval, Momentum, Best Premier and Issues
Almost half of respondents (48%) approve of the way Official Opposition and NDP leader Adrian Dix is handling his duties, making him the best ranked politician in the province. Almost three-in-ten respondents (28%) approve of the performance of Premier and BC Liberals leader Christy Clark, and the same proportion (28%) are satisfied with BC Conservative Party leader John Cummins. The rating is slightly lower for Green Party leader Jane Sterk (24%).
Dix also managed to post a positive momentum score this month (+3), while Cummins (-5), Sterk (-6) and Clark (-47) all had a negative rating. Three-in-five British Columbians (64%) disapprove of Clark’s performance, and more than half (55%) say their opinion of her has worsened in the past three months.
On the Best Premier question, Dix is the top choice (26%), followed by Clark (15%), Cummins (12%), and Sterk (2%).
Dix is also regarded as the best person to handle health care (35%), education (32%), the economy (25%) and crime (21%). Dix is virtually tied with Sterk on handling the environment (22% to 24%) and with Clark on federal/provincial relations (21% to 20%).
The economy remains the top issue facing British Columbia (25%), followed by health care (18%), leadership (13%), tax relief (7%) and the environment (also 7%).