Saskatchewan election update

Things are looking grim for Premier Lorne Calvert. With the election day only a week away on November 7th, his party is behind, most voters want a change in government and there is little enthusiasm for Calvert himself. So says a pair of new polls from Probe Research Inc.

The first poll, on voter ID indicates:

With the support of 50 percent of decided voters, the Saskatchewan Party is the province’s most popular political party. Well back, the governing New Democrats are currently supported by 35 percent while the Liberals are the party of choice for 10 percent of Saskatchewan adults. A modest two percent of voters each report they will cast ballots for either Progressive Conservative or Green Party candidates. Thirty-one percent of those surveyed were unwilling or unable to express their voting intentions.

And while things may change, voter intent points to a more likely shift to the Saskatchewan Party than to the NDP:

Looking at voter certainty, 64 percent of Saskatchewan Party supporters have fully committed to casting ballots for that party on November 7th compared with only 47 percent of NDP voters who say they are “very certain” they will actually mark NDP ballots. These findings suggest that any late campaign shifting that may occur would favour the Saskatchewan Party more than the NDP.

The second poll details voter views on leadership and government in general. It too bodes ill for Calvert's regime:

Across the province, more than one-half of adults (54%) agreed that “the NDP have been in power for too long and it is now time for a change”. This compares with only 26 percent who affirmed that: “The NDP, led by Lorne Calvert, deserve to be re-elected based on their record and accomplishments over the past years”. One in five respondents (20%) chose not to affirm either position.

As for Premier Calvert's personal standing, it seems to have suffered worse for wear:

When asked which of the three main party leaders they felt would make the “Best Premier” of Saskatchewan, the leader of the Saskatchewan Party, Brad Wall, beats out incumbent Premier Lorne Calvert. Thirty-seven percent of those surveyed pointed to Mr. Wall as the best candidate for Premier while 25 percent named current Premier Lorne Calvert. Twelve percent thought Liberal leader David Karwacki would make the best Premier, while nearly one in four citizens (26%) were uncertain as to who would be best suited to occupy the province’s highest political office.

As posted previously, this staunch Williams ally on the Equalization front will soon find himself unemployed leaving Williams with only Nova Scotia's Rodney MacDonald, himself in a precarious position.