Are voting and party support patterns changing?
Several important shifts can be seen to have taken place in voter attitudes over the past ten months, if one compares the August 2006 and the May 2007 CLG survey results. When asked who they would “vote for in the next general elections”, the current (May 2007) survey indicates that PNP still retains a 3 per cent lead (36.2 per cent PNP to 33.2 per cent JLP) among eligible voters. However, a substantial narrowing has occurred since August 2006, when the comparable figures were 53 per cent PNP and 23.1 per cent JLP. This represents a 10 per cent net increase for JLP, and a 17 per cent decrease for PNP. There has also been a shift in ‘overall party support’ during that same period. Again, PNP remains slightly ahead, but has lost ground in the intervening months. When asked what party they “always vote for” or “usually vote for”, 43 per cent of the respondents to the May 2007 survey say they “usually” or “always” vote for PNP, whereas 36.3 per cent “usually” or “always” vote for JLP. As o
