Toronto Issues April 2015

The poll surveyed a random sample of 2,493 Toronto residents by Interactive Voice Response (IVR) on April 30th, 2015.

Mainstreet surveyed a mixture of landlines and cell phones.Margin of error +/- 1.96%, 19/20.

STRONG SUPPORT FOR VOTING REFORMS

May 6th, 2015. A new Mainstreet Technologies poll finds strong support among Torontonians for shorter municipal campaign periods & allowing permanent resident to vote. With 2,493 respondents the poll has a margin of error of +/- 1.96%, 19/20.

Meanwhile, John Torys approval rating is holding steady at 61%. Thats a one point drop from Mainstreets March poll - within the margin of error.

Only 10% of Torontonians think there are too few members of City Council while 48% believe there are too many and 41% believe there are just enough, said Quito Maggi, President of Mainstreet Technologies. Toronto does not want to see the size of city council grow though this may be the result of the Ward boundaries process.

Mainstreet also asked Torontonians about internet voting. 50% believe it would be secure while 55% would support the move to implement it.

There is strong support for extending voting rights in Toronto elections to permanent residents and support for implementing Internet voting in elections but Torontos favourite reform is shorter campaigns even when we point out that may favour incumbents, finished Maggi.

Highlights- 55% of Torontonians approve of Internet voting and only 50% think it will be secure.- 56% approve of ranked- ballot voting, 34% disapprove. - 67% approve of shorter municipal campaigns even though it may help incumbent - 58% are in favour of the extension of voting rights in municipal elections to permanent residents. - 48% think that there are too many members of City Council, 41% think there are just enough.

-30-For more information or further comment:David Valentin,(613) 698-5524 - [email protected]

Available for interview from Toronto:Quito Maggi, [email protected]

MethodologyThe poll surveyed a random sample of 2,493 Torontonians by Interactive Voice Response (IVR) on April 30th, 2015. Mainstreet surveyed a mixture of cell phones and landlines.

About Mainstreet TechnologiesMainstreet Technologies is a national public research firm. With 20 years of political experience at all three levels of government, President and CEO Quito Maggi is a respected commentator on Canadian public aairs.

Dierentiated by its large sample sizes, Mainstreet has provided accurate snapshots of public opinion, having predicted a majority PC government in Alberta, a majority Liberal government in British Columbia, and a majority Liberal government in Ontario. Most recently, Mainstreet was the most accurate pollster of Novembers Toronto mayoral election and Februarys by-election in Sudbury.

EMBARGOED UNTIL 5:30 AM EST - MAY 6th, 2015

Do you approve or disapprove of the way John Tory is handling his job as Mayor?

STRONGLY APPROVESOMEWHAT APPROVESOMEWHAT DISAPPROVESTRONGLY DISAPPROVENOT SURESAMPLE

AGE & GENDER BREAKDOWN18-3427%30%10%23%11%399

35-4940%23%16%9%12%518

50-6437%23%17%8%15%871

65+40%23%13%8%15%705

Female37%24%14%12%12%1427

Male34%26%14%12%13%1066


SCAR.40%23%11%11%15%631

NYORK33%22%15%16%15%466

ETOB.26%22%24%17%10%583

D. TOWN40%31%11%8%11%813

BY BOROUGH

TOTAL APPROVAL: 61% TOTAL DISAPPROVAL: 26% NOT SURE: 13%

61%

26%

13%


Approve Disapprove Not Sure

January February March April

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Thinking about the next municipal election in the City of Toronto, if Internet voting were introduced, how secure do you think internet voting would be?

VERY SECURESOMEWHAT SECURESOMEWHAT UNSECUREVERY UNSECURENOT SURESAMPLE


35-4922%33%17%13%16%518

50-6420%30%15%11%25%871

65+14%32%15%10%30%705

Female20%32%14%14%20%1427

Male18%31%16%13%22%1066

VERY SECURESOMEWHAT SECURESOMEWHAT UNSECUREVERY UNSECURENOT SURESAMPLE

SCAR.21%30%15%13%21%631

N.YORK18%31%14%15%22%466

ETOB.18%30%16%13%23%583

D. TOWN18%33%16%13%19%813

BY BOROUGH

SECURE: 50% UNSECURE: 29% NOT SURE: 21%

Very SecureSomewhat Secure

Somewhat UnsecureVery Unsecure

Not Sure

14

19%

31%

15%

%

21%

14

And do you approve or disapprove of introducing Internet Voting for Toronto Municipal Elections?



35-4936%25%13%22%5%518

50-6432%25%14%22%7%871

65+24%24%21%23%8%705

Female35%22%15%21%7%

1427

Male31%23%19%19%8%

1066


SCAR.37%20%18%16%8%631

N.YORK29%22%19%24%6%466

ETOB.33%23%17%19%8%583

D. TOWN34%23%15%20%7%813

BY BOROUGH


33%

22%

17%

20%

7%

Strongly ApproveSomewhat Approve

Somewhat DisapproveStrongly Disapprove

Not Sure

There are currently 44 members of the Toronto City Council and there is currently a review underway to decide upon ward boundaries. This could see the total number of City Councillors for the City change. Keeping this in mind, do you think there are too many councilors, not enough councilors, or the right amount of councilors for Toronto?

TOO MANYNOT ENOUGHJUST RIGHTSAMPLE

SCAR.48%10%43%631

N.YORK47%11%42%466

ETOB.51%9%

39%583

D. TOWN49%10%41%813

BY BOROUGH

TOO MANYNOT ENOUGHJUST RIGHTSAMPLE

AGE & GENDER BREAKDOWN18-3437%12%51%399

35-4946%11%43%518

50-6454%10%36%871

65+59%7%

34%705

Female49%10%41%1427

Male48%10%42%1066

TOO MANY: 48% NOT ENOUGH: 10% JUST RIGHT: 41%

48%

10%

41%

Ranked-ballot voting, also known as preferential voting, is a voting system in which you select your first choice on the ballot, then your second choice and so on. Candidates with the least amount of votes are eliminated and their votes are reassigned until a candidate has over 50%. Do you approve or disapprove of ranked-ballot voting?



35-4934%29%8%18%12%518

50-6432%27%12%16%12%871

65+25%29%18%15%13%705

Female30%24%14%20%11%

1427

Male32%25%12%21%10%1066


SCAR.31%24%14%21%10%631

N.YORK32%23%11%23%11%466

ETOB.33%28%11%18%10%583

D. TOWN29%25%14%20%11%813

BY BOROUGH


31%

25%

13%

21%

11%



Not Sure

The Ontario government has proposed a shorter campaign period for municipal elections as a potential reform. Some critics have suggested shorter campaign periods benefit incumbent councilors and make it dicult for challengers to succeed. Do you approve or disapprove of a shorter campaign period for municipal elections?



35-4934%29%8%18%12%518

50-6432%27%12%16%12%871

65+25%29%18%15%13%705

Female30%24%14%20%11%

1427

Male32%25%12%21%10%1066


SCAR.31%24%14%21%10%631

N.YORK32%23%11%23%11%466

ETOB.33%28%11%18%10%583

D. TOWN29%25%14%20%11%813

BY BOROUGH


41%

26%

14%

15%

5%



Not Sure

In City of Toronto elections, only citizens can vote. Some have some suggested giving permanent residents the right to vote in municipal elections since they pay property taxes and it would foster a greater sense of community. Others are firmly opposed and believe only Canadian Citizens should vote in elections. Do you approve or disapprove of extending voting rights in municipal elections to permanent residents?



35-4935%19%14%26%5%518

50-6428%21%16%26%8%871

65+34%25%13%21%7%705

Female39%20%13%22%7%

1427

Male34%24%13%23%6%

1066


SCAR.40%19%12%22%6%631

N.YORK34%26%12%21%7%466

ETOB.37%21%13%22%7%583

D. TOWN36%20%13%25%7%813

BY BOROUGH


36%

22%

13%

23%

7%



Not Sure

The Ontario government has proposed a shorter campaign period for municipal elections as a potential reform. Some critics have suggested shorter campaign periods benefit incumbent councilors and make it dicult for challengers to succeed. Do you approve or disapprove of a shorter campaign period for

municipal elections?

- Strongly Approve- Somewhat approve

- Somewhat disapprove- Strongly disapprove

- Not Sure

In City of Toronto elections, only citizens can vote. Some have some suggested giving permanent residents the right to vote in municipal elections since they pay property taxes and it would foster a

greater sense of community. Others are firmly opposed and believe only Canadian Citizens should vote in elections. Do you approve or disapprove of extending voting rights in municipal elections to

permanent residents?



- Not Sure




- Not Sure


- Very Secure- Somewhat Secure

- Somewhat Unsecure- Very Unsecure

- Not Sure




- Not Sure

Currently, there are 44 members of the Toronto City Council and there is a review underway to decide upon ward boundaries. This could see the total number of City Councillors for the City change. Keeping this in mind, do you think there are too many councilors, not enough councilors, or the right amount of

councilors for Toronto?

- Too Many- Not Enough- Just Right

Ranked- ballot voting, also known as preferential voting, is a voting system in which you select your first choice on the ballot, then your second choice and so on. Candidates with the least amount of votes

are eliminated and their votes are reassigned until a candidate has over 50%. Do you approve or disapprove of ranked-ballot voting?



- Not Sure

SCRIPT

SCRIPT CONTINUED

The Ontario government has proposed a shorter campaign period for municipal elections as a potential reform. Some critics have suggested shorter campaign periods benefit incumbent councilors and make it dicult for challengers to succeed. Do you approve or disapprove of a shorter campaign period for

municipal elections?



- Not Sure

In City of Toronto elections, only citizens can vote. Some have some suggested giving permanent residents the right to vote in municipal elections since they pay property taxes and it would foster a

greater sense of community. Others are firmly opposed and believe only Canadian Citizens should vote in elections. Do you approve or disapprove of extending voting rights in municipal elections to

permanent residents?



- Not Sure




- Not Sure


- Very Secure- Somewhat Secure

- Somewhat Unsecure- Very Unsecure

- Not Sure




- Not Sure

Currently, there are 44 members of the Toronto City Council and there is a review underway to decide upon ward boundaries. This could see the total number of City Councillors for the City change. Keeping this in mind, do you think there are too many councilors, not enough councilors, or the right amount of

councilors for Toronto?

- Too Many- Not Enough- Just Right

Ranked- ballot voting, also known as preferential voting, is a voting system in which you select your first choice on the ballot, then your second choice and so on. Candidates with the least amount of votes

are eliminated and their votes are reassigned until a candidate has over 50%. Do you approve or disapprove of ranked-ballot voting?



- Not Sure

Toronto Issues April 2015

Documents

internet voting

toronto elections

toronto residents

strong support

voting reformsmay

ballot voting

extension of voting

municipal elections