Until today, six people were vying for the leadership of the Alberta NDP. Top row, from left, Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse, Gil McGowan and Kathleen Ganley. Bottom row, from left, Sarah Hoffman, Naheed Nenshi and Rakhi Pancholi, who dropped out of the race on Tuesday, trimming the field to five.
Forty-five per cent of Alberta respondents to Abacus Data survey said they would vote UCP today, while 33% would vote NDP. Eighteen per cent were undecided. A new poll suggests Albertans view Naheed Nenshi most positively among his competitors for the NDP leadership, but no matter who wins, the party still faces an uphill battle against the governing UCP.
Rakhi Pancholi, who dropped out of the race Tuesday, had a net negative impression, at minus 2, but 61 per cent of those surveyed said they didn't know enough about her to offer an impression. When all respondents were asked for whom would they vote if a provincial election were held today, 45 per cent said they would cast their ballot for the UCP, down one percentage point since October.
With committed voters, the UCP is strongest outside the province's two largest centres, with 66 per cent of respondents from other communities backing the party, compared to Calgary and Edmonton . However, University of Calgary political scientist Melanee Thomas noted that Albertans are less than a year removed from the last provincial election, giving the next NDP leader lots of time to establish themselves on the political scene.
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