Liberal support grows at expense of opposition: poll

A seven per cent boost in support for the Liberals, dead heat in preference for premier

Premier Dwight Ball’s Liberal party has seen a jump in support in August, but it’s a dead heat between Ball and Progressive Conservative Leader Ches Crosbie as people’s preference for premier, according to polling conducted by Corporate Research Associates.

From May to August, the Liberals went from 36 per cent to 43 per cent support. Undecided voters have remained essentially unchanged, meaning the Liberals drew their support from the Progressive Conservatives and the New Democratic Party.

The PCS went from 42 per cent support in May down to 35 per cent support in August, while the NDP dropped from 22 per cent to 19 per cent between polls.

When it comes to preference for premier, another tale emerges. Ball and Crosbie are at 31 per cent and 30 per cent, respectively, with support for NDP Leader Gerry Rogers down from 19 per cent in May to 16 per cent in August.

Ball has regained the lead in preference for premier – if only just – over the PCS. In May, preference for Paul Davis/ches Crosbie was 34 per cent, while Ball saw 27 per cent preference in that polling period.

In terms of overall satisfaction with the performance of the Liberal government, the number has increased as well. In August, 43 per cent of respondents said they were mostly or completely satisfied with government’s performance, up from 38 per cent in May; 53 per cent of respondents are mostly or completely dissatisfied with the government’s performance to date.

The polling was conducted from Aug. 2-29, with 800 Newfoundland and Labrador residents of voting age polled. The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus 3.5 per cent.