Undecided voters 'huge factor' in election outcome, expert says

Election day has arrived but a number of voters in Manitoba are still on the fence about who they will choose which could swing the result, one expert says.

A MainstreetResearch poll published Saturday,just four days before the election, suggested19 per cent of voters werestill undecided.

"In close contest that's a huge factor in determining the final outcome of the election," said Paul Thomas, professor emeritusat the University of Manitoba, adding the undecided vote typically hovers around20 per cent.

"I think its partly that people are not all that impressed with any of the leaders."

That's what is holding back Fort Rouge voter, Sylvia Kot.

"I've generally been Liberal all my lifebut I'm not really too happy with the candidate in my area and she happens to be the leader," said Kot. "I'm wondering if there is some little guy that I might vote for. I really don't know. I will decide when I pull in to [cast] the ballot."

Voters showing election 'fatigue'

Thomas said some voters are simply notforthcoming about the way they're leaning.

"Some NDP people may be taking refuge in silence rather than declaring themselves to be staunch new democrats at a time when the party seems to be going down to defeat," he said adding, election "fatigue" may also be playing a role.

"People are fed up with politicians, so you ask them to declare a preference to a political party and they'll just say don't know or refuse to answer."

Politicians will be looking to capture the voters who have yet to commit but Thomas said there is no way to know if this group will turn out at all.

"The parties try to bring down the number of undecideds. They do these rolling over night polls every night they're phoning into selective constituencies," said Thomas adding the PC's began this back in January.

"They started [these]rolling over night polls into places like River East and Rossmere and Concordia and Transconaones that were on their wish list to win in this election."

Thomas addedindecision strikes every election and can hit any voter.

"Better educated people [from] more affluent homes don't tend to be more undecided or less undecided than people living in more modest homes and people from different partisan backgrounds don't seem to be."

Polls in Manitoba close at 8p.m.

Watch the coverage live on CBC TV and radio at 8 p.m. The coverage will also be carried live online on the Manitoba Votes page.