XPost: can.politics, ab.politics, calgary.general   
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   From: Panca@nyet.ca   
      
   Conservative support slipping in Alberta: poll   
      
   October 25, 2014 - Lethbridge Herald   
      
   Conservative support slipping in Alberta: poll   
      
      
   For Stephen Harper, there’s no place like home. Calgary – and most of   
   Alberta –   
   can be counted on to elect a Conservative MP every time.   
      
   But the Conservative party support continues to slip across the province,   
   according to the latest survey from the Citizen Society Research Lab in   
   Lethbridge. It’s fallen to 41.5 per cent of Alberta voters, down from 53 per   
   cent just two years ago.   
      
   If there’s any good news for the governing Tories, it’s that neither of the   
   main opposition parties seem to be gaining ground.   
      
   “People are tired of the Conservatives,” reports political scientist Faron   
   Ellis. “But they just can’t stand voting Liberal or NDP.”   
      
   Despite his personal appeal, Justin Trudeau and his Liberals attracted just   
   16.7 per cent of the “if an election was held today” voting intentions.   
   That’s   
   up from 10.7 support for the Liberals two years ago – but down from 18.3 per   
   cent just a year ago.   
      
   Across Alberta, the federal New Democrats were as high as 19.2 per cent in   
   2011. But the latest survey, completed earlier this month, shows them sinking   
   to 10.8 per cent.   
      
   The Greens seem to be the only party picking up support, Ellis says. After two   
   years in the six per cent range, they’re now up to 9.6 per cent across   
   Alberta.   
      
   “That’s a default protest vote,” he says.   
      
   “In a competitive riding, the Green or other minor parties’ votes just   
   disappear.”   
      
   After close to a decade in power, political parties are seldom able to hold   
   their initial support. Ellis says that’s one reason the number of undecided   
   voters continues to climb.   
      
   “Most of the drop in the Conservative vote is shopping around,” with more   
   than   
   19 per cent telling this month’s survey callers they didn’t know how   
   they’d vote.   
      
   That compares to 8.3 per cent of Albertans in 2011, an election year.   
      
   Conservatives are strongest in Calgary, the survey confirms, with 56.3 per cent   
   of the decided voters. They’re weakest in Edmonton, at 41 per cent of those   
   who’ve made up their minds.   
      
   Federal Liberals are second in Edmonton (25 per cent) and Calgary (21.8) while   
   New Democrats are also competitive in Edmonton with 18 per cent of committed   
   voters. If an opposition party’s support is focused in a particular   
   constituency, Ellis adds, an upset is possible.   
      
   With several longtime Conservative MPs retiring, he points out, some Alberta   
   ridings could prove interesting during next year’s election campaign.   
      
   One of those seats is Edmonton Centre, Ellis says.   
      
   “Anne McLellan held it for four terms” for the Liberals, and became deputy   
   prime minister for Paul Martin.   
      
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