Latest #skvotes Poll: SPOILER ALERT

Finally. I was going into poll withdrawal.

Yesterday Insights West released their poll gauging public sentiment in Saskatchewan on the campaign, and the parties.

Needless to say, it wasn’t exactly riveting new information.

SPOILER ALERT: the Sask Party is going to win.

Nevertheless, there were a few tidbits worth mentioning.

So, I will.

The Issues: Privatization The economy is the top election issue, with 44 per cent overall naming it as their number one.

It wasn’t quite so cut and dry with women only, however, with 38 per cent naming the economy as their top issue, but health care not far behind at 27 per cent and homelessness at 10 per cent.

The Leaders:

Brad Wall’s support since 2011 has barely wavered, with only 11 per cent of his previous voters disapproving of his 2016 performance. Broten fared about the same, or even a bit better, with only 8 per cent of his 2011 voters showing signs of dissent. (Though they’re a fickle bunch, apparently, as you’ll see below.)

18 per cent of the NDPs 2011 supporters are today giving Brad Wall the thumbs up, but more – 23 percent per cent – of the Sask Party’s 2011 voters are doing the same for Broten. And, 9 per cent of the Sask Party’s 2011 voters are undecided about Broten. Combined, that’s a potential 32 per cent slip from Wall to Broten.

Potential, but highly unlikely.

The Outcome:

The Sask Party has seen an 11 per cent slide of 2011 voters to the NDP, who have only seen 2 per cent migrate the other way. I suppose when you scorch the earth like the Sask Party did in 2011, a bit of slippage is inevitable.

I’m kind of amazed that Undecided number is still so high, but can’t find a pre-election poll from 2011 to see how it compares. Maybe that kind of wishy-washiness right before E-day is totally normal.

The Chasm:

It’s slightly more positive than it was a few weeks ago, but the number of NDP supporters who don’t like their own leader is still unreal.

Only 69 per cent of those who voted NDP in 2011 think Cam Broten would make the best Premier of Saskatchewan. With friends like these, who needs attack ads?