Ken Sim leads the Vancouver mayoral race with 30 percent support among decided voters, while 26 percent of likely voters have yet to choose a candidate, a new Research Co. poll suggests.
The Research Co. survey placed Sim, the A Better City candidate, at 30 percent among decided voters.
Kareem Allam of the Vancouver Liberals and Green Party of Vancouver Councillor Pete Fry were tied for second at 19 percent. Allam previously served as Sim’s chief of staff.
Former councillor Colleen Hardwick of TEAM for a Livable Vancouver followed with 14 percent. Vote Vancouver Councillor Rebecca Bligh had seven percent, OneCity Vancouver candidate William Azaroff had five percent and the Coalition of Progressive Electors’ Stephanie Allen had four percent. Other candidates received a combined three percent.
The results indicate about one-third of the vote could be sufficient to win the mayor’s office if support remains divided among several candidates.
Research Co. president Mario Canseco said the presence of numerous credible candidates has made it difficult for likely voters to settle on a choice.
Twenty-six percent remained undecided, including 36 percent of respondents aged 55 and older.
When asked which candidate was best positioned to defeat Sim, 20 percent of likely voters selected Allam, 14 percent chose Fry and 11 percent named Hardwick. Thirty-nine percent could not identify a particular candidate as the favourite to defeat the incumbent.
For comparison, a separate Pallas Data poll conducted in July placed Fry at 18 percent, Sim at 14 percent, Allam at 12 percent and Hardwick at 11 percent. Allen received six percent, Azaroff four percent and Bligh three percent, while 34 percent were undecided.
Sim won the 2022 mayoral election with 51 percent of the vote. Kennedy Stewart won the 2018 contest with 29 percent.
Research Co. found 39 percent of likely voters held a favourable view of Sim. Fry’s favourability rating was 45 percent, compared with 40 percent for Stewart, 36 percent for Hardwick and 33 percent for Allam.
The Green Party received the highest positive rating among the municipal parties measured, at 51 percent. The Liberals followed at 48 percent, OneCity at 44 percent and ABC at 42 percent.
In the council election, 42 percent of likely voters said they would definitely or probably cast a ballot that included Green candidates. ABC followed at 40 percent, while TEAM and the Liberals each received 35 percent.
The survey also measured attitudes toward the Villages Plan, the housing proposal introduced by Sim in October 2023 and rejected by city council in a 10-1 vote on July 28.
Only 40 percent of likely voters said they had seen, read or heard anything about the plan over the previous year. Based on what respondents already knew or had experienced, 18 percent viewed it positively, 47 percent negatively and 35 percent were unsure.
After respondents read an overview of the plan, positive assessments rose to 26 percent and negative assessments increased to 57 percent.
The Research Co. online survey was conducted from July 30 to August 1.
The high number of undecided voters really stands out. With support divided among several candidates, the race could shift significantly as voters become more engaged.