Voters’ honeymoon period still in effect for new mayor, poll indicates

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/03/2015 (3334 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ONLY time will tell whether Brian Bowman can continue to ride the fanfare that led him into city hall last fall.

Lately, though, his momentum still seems strong.

According to a recent telephone poll by Mainstreet Technologies, the rookie Winnipeg mayor is still riding a strong wave of popularity. Of the more than 800 people contacted by Mainstreet last Thursday, 70 per cent approved of Bowman’s first few months in office. Note: the poll was done prior to the release of Tuesday’s 2015 operating budget, which revealed a 2.3 per cent property tax increase for homeowners.

With that strong approval rating, Bowman’s detractors are the noticeable minority thus far. Only 13 per cent of respondents disapproved of the mayor, while another 17 per cent told pollsters they were unsure what to make of him yet.

Bowman was elected mayor on Oct. 22, 2014.

Diving further into the approval numbers, Bowman’s biggest support resonated among voters aged 50 to 64 years old, with 75 per cent of those respondents approving. The high number in that demographic is surprising given his popularity among younger voters and his campaign’s relentless social-media voice during the campaign.

Mainstreet also queried people on what direction they believe crime is headed in the city.

When asked “Do you believe crime is increasing, decreasing or staying the same in Winnipeg?” 28 per cent of respondents said they think crime was increasing or staying the same, while 23 per cent believed crime was down. Twenty per cent were not sure.

Tabled in Tuesday’s budget was a 2.6 per cent increase in the Winnipeg Police Service budget, to $264 million from $259 million. That uptick in dollars will make some people happy; 42 per cent of poll respondents disagreed with reducing the size of the WPS, compared to the 41 per cent who wouldn’t mind seeing the force cut back.

Based in Toronto, Mainstreet Technologies is a national public research firm. A total of 824 people took part in the poll, conducted by phone for the Free Press on Feb. 26. The margin of error is 3.41 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

Do you think Mayor Bowman’s approval rating will change in the wake of the city’s new budget? Join the discussion in the comments below.