David Coletto, chair and CEO of Abacus Data, discusses recent national surveys analyzing changes in voter support for each political party. Topics include the impact of undecided voters on the Liberal party, coalition building between Conservative and NDP, demographics and voting patterns of block voters in Quebec, profiles and strategies of political parties, home ownership rates in the conservative voter coalition, and recent changes in polling trends and conservative support.
The Liberal Party has experienced a significant loss in support, with a third of previous voters now undecided and a split in remaining supporters favoring other parties, leading to a larger churn in their support compared to previous elections.
The Conservative Party has managed to retain almost 90% of its past support and has successfully appealed to new voters, with 13% of their current coalition consisting of individuals who did not vote in the last election, thereby establishing a solid base of support and gaining traction.
Deep dives
Liberals losing support and facing voter churn
The Liberal Party has lost about a third of its past support, with 12% of previous voters now undecided. The remaining supporters are split, with 10% leaning conservative, 8% favoring the New Democrats, and 1% each going to the Greens, People's Party, and the Bloc. This represents a significant shift in voter loyalty compared to previous elections, with the Liberals experiencing a larger churn in their support.
Conservatives maintaining past support and targeting new voters
The Conservative Party has managed to maintain almost 90% of its past support. Only 1% of their previous supporters have shifted to other parties, with 7% currently undecided. Notably, the Conservatives have successfully appealed to new voters, with 13% of their current coalition being individuals who did not vote in the last election. This strategy has helped the party gain traction and maintain a solid base of support.
New Democrats gaining some liberal support, but losing to Conservatives
The New Democratic Party (NDP) has seen some gains from liberal defectors, with about 50% of those leaving the Liberal Party choosing to align with the NDP. However, the NDP has also lost a significant portion of its past support to the Conservatives, with 8% of previous NDP voters now favoring the Conservatives. This complex dynamic has kept the NDP's overall support relatively steady, but with notable shifts among different parties.
Insights into the demographic profiles of the party supporters
The Liberal Party's typical supporter tends to be older, more concentrated in urban areas, and evenly split between genders. The NDP's average supporter is younger, more likely to be renting, and skewed towards lower-income households. The Conservatives have a more even distribution across age groups, with a higher proportion of male supporters, more homeowners, and a wider range of education levels. Overall, these demographic factors provide insights into the political landscape and potential campaign strategies for each party.
There has been a lot of movement in the polls over the last few months. But who are the people behind those numbers?
Joining me this week on The Writ Podcast is David Coletto, chair and CEO of Abacus Data. He’s compiled data from his recent surveys to give us a deep dive into how voters have migrated since 2021 and what each party’s electoral coalition looks like today.
(If you missed yesterday’s episode of The Numbers podcast, it is available for Patreon members here.)
In addition to listening to this episode of The Writ Podcast in your inbox, at TheWrit.ca or on podcast apps like Apple Podcasts, you can also watch this episode on YouTube.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thewrit.ca/subscribe
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode