Pollsters pegged election right this time around
Posted May 7, 2015 7:28 am.
Last Updated May 7, 2015 8:02 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The historic win by the NDP in Alberta was predicted by pollsters heading into Tuesday’s vote, yet it seemed like most Albertans didn’t give the polling data any clout.
It could be because similar polling heading into the 2012 election pegged the Wildrose to sweep the Progressive Conservatives out of power, only to have the complete opposite happen as Alison Redford’s Tories held onto a majority government.
Shachi Kurl, vice president with Angus Ried, said this time around, the party on the rise had something different.
“You had a leader dealing very deftly with any issue of offensiveness or perceived discrimination on part of candidates this time around, but that didn’t happen with Danielle Smith in 2012,” Kurl said.
She said the numbers went deeper than just which party people were supporting, “69% of Albertans we surveyed in the last stage of the campaign said it was time for change in government and the Progressive Conservatives should be replaced.”
As it turned out, the NDP was ready, and able to take advantage of that feeling.
