Three quarters want audit dealt with before election
TORONTO SEPTEMBER
27th, 2014 - In a random sampling of public opinion taken by the
Forum Poll™ among 928 Brampton voters, more than half think Mayor Fennell
should be charged with a crime in the expenses scandal (55%), while half this
proportion think otherwise (28%) and somewhat fewer don't have an opinion
(17%).
Two thirds disapprove of Fennell's lawsuit; three quarters want
audit dealt with now
Two
third of Brampton's voters disapprove of Mayor Fennell suing Deloitte, the
city's auditors (67%), while just one fifth approve (19%). Somewhat fewer have
no opinion (15%). Of note, two thirds of those who voted for Mayor Fennell last
time disapprove of the lawsuit now (65%). One third of those who plan to vote
for her this time also disapprove (33%). Three quarters want to see the audit
tabled and the expenses scandal dealt with by council before the election on
October 27 (74%), while one fifth do not (20%) and very few don't have an
opinion (6%). Even the majority of her supporters (57%) want this matter dealt
with now.
Linda Jeffrey with comfortable lead for mayor
More
than 4-in-10 voters will support Linda Jeffrey for mayor (42%), compared to
fewer than one fifth who will vote for either Mayor Fennell or councillor John
Sanderson (17% each). Few will vote Hargy Randhawa (5%) or either Gurjjt Grewal
or Devinder Sangha (3% each). Just more than a tenth are undecided (13%).
Jeffrey's vote is common to the oldest (52%), the best educated (post grad -
50%) and past provincial Liberal voters (58%). Fennell's vote is characterized
by the youngest (21%), the wealthiest ($100K to $250K - 24%) but also the least
educated (22%). Of note, only one quarter of those who voted for her last time
will vote for Mayor Fennell this time (24%). Sanderson's support is
concentrated among the oldest (55 to 64 - 28%, 65+ - 26%), the wealthier ($80K
to $100K - 22%) and those of British Isles origin (30%). Jeffrey's support is especially
strong in the southwest quadrant of the city, south of Queen and west of
Hurontario (45%). Her support is weaker in the southeast quadrant on the other
side of Hurontario south of Queen St (35%). Fennell's support is stronger in
the southeast (19%). Sanderson does better south of Queen St (21%) than north
of it (16%).
Jeffrey with highest awareness and approval.
Linda
Jeffrey is known to two thirds of voters (69%), and of these, an astounding
8-in-10 approve of her (80%). John Sanderson is known to one half (53%) and is
approved of by two thirds (67%). Awareness for the other candidates is one
quarter or less, and their approval among these smaller groups is less than
half. Mayor Fennell has the lowest approval tested, at just more than a quarter
(28%), but this is an improvement over last month (August 9 - 21% approval).
Just less than three quarters disapprove of her now (72%) compared to 8-in-10
last month (79%).
Fewer now want Fennell to resign
Just
fewer than two thirds of Brampton voters want Mayor Fennell to resign (63%),
down from close to 7-in-10 last month (69%). Three-in-ten don't want to see her
resign (29%). Those who want her to hang tight are most likely to be the
youngest (34%), males (33%), the wealthiest (41%) and those who claim a
Canadian ethnic background (33%).
“The
only reason I can see that Mayor Fennell's ratings have improved a bit since
last month is that they hit rock bottom then and bounced a bit. This mayor's
race is Linda Jeffrey's to lose, but she'll have a difficult job as mayor
knitting a sorely divided city back together," said Forum Research President, Dr. Lorne
Bozinoff.
Lorne Bozinoff, Ph.D. is
the president and founder of Forum Research. He can be reached at lbozinoff@forumresearch.com or at (416) 960-9603.
