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.

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

STRONG SUPPORT FOR VOTING REFORMS
May 6th, 2015. A new Mainstreet Technologies poll nds 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, nished 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 - david@mainstreettechnologies.ca
Available for interview from Toronto:
Quito Maggi, quito@mainstreettechnologies.ca
Methodology
The 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 Technologies
Mainstreet Technologies is a national public research rm. 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.

Do you approve or disapprove of the way John Tory is handling his job as Mayor?
13%

26%
61%

TOTAL APPROVAL: 61%

TOTAL DISAPPROVAL: 26%

NOT SURE: 13%

AGE & GENDER BREAKDOWN

STRONGLY APPROVE
SOMEWHAT APPROVE
SOMEWHAT DISAPPROVE
STRONGLY DISAPPROVE
NOT SURE
SAMPLE
BY BOROUGH
STRONGLY APPROVE
SOMEWHAT APPROVE
SOMEWHAT DISAPPROVE
STRONGLY DISAPPROVE
NOT SURE
SAMPLE

18-34 35-49 50-64 65+

27% 40% 37% 40%
30% 23% 23% 23%
10%
16%
17% 13%
23%
9%
8%
8%
11%
12%
15% 15%
399
518
871 705

Male
34%
26%
14%
12%
13%
1066

Female
37%
24%
14%
12%
12%
1427

SCAR. NYORK ETOB. D. TOWN

40%
33%
26%
40%
23%
22%
22%
31%
11%
15%
24%
11%
11%
16%
17%
8%
15%
15%
10%
11%
631
466
583
813

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

80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
January

February

March

Approve Disapprove Not Sure

April

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?
19%

21%

Very Secure
Somewhat Secure
Somewhat Unsecure
14 %

Very Unsecure
Not Sure

14

31%

15%

SECURE: 50%

UNSECURE: 29%

NOT SURE: 21%

AGE & GENDER BREAKDOWN

VERY SECURE
SOMEWHAT SECURE
SOMEWHAT UNSECURE
VERY UNSECURE
NOT SURE
SAMPLE
BY BOROUGH
VERY SECURE
SOMEWHAT SECURE
SOMEWHAT UNSECURE
VERY UNSECURE
NOT SURE
SAMPLE

18-34 35-49 50-64 65+

18%
22% 20% 14%
31%
33% 30% 32%
14%
17%
15% 15%
21%
13%
11% 10%
16%
16%
25% 30%
399
518
871 705

Male
18%
31%
16%
13%
22%
1066

Female
20%
32%
14%
14%
20%
1427

SCAR. N.YORK ETOB. D. TOWN

21%
18%
18%
18%
30%
31%
30%
33%
15%
14%
16%
16%
13%
15%
13%
13%
21%
22%
23%
19%
631
466
583
813

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

Municipal Elections?
7%

33%

20%

Strongly Approve
Somewhat Approve
Somewhat Disapprove
Strongly Disapprove
Not Sure

17%

22%

TOTAL APPROVAL: 55%

TOTAL DISAPPROVAL: 37%

NOT SURE: 7%

AGE & GENDER BREAKDOWN

STRONGLY APPROVE
SOMEWHAT APPROVE
SOMEWHAT DISAPPROVE
STRONGLY DISAPPROVE
NOT SURE
SAMPLE
BY BOROUGH
STRONGLY APPROVE
SOMEWHAT APPROVE
SOMEWHAT DISAPPROVE
STRONGLY DISAPPROVE
NOT SURE
SAMPLE

18-34 35-49 50-64 65+

39% 36% 32% 24%
15%
25% 25% 24%
22%
13%
14% 21%
14%
22% 22% 23%
9%
5%
7%
8%
399
518
871 705
SCAR.
37%
20%
18%
16%
8%
631

Male
31%
23%
19%
19%
8%
1066

Female
35%
22%
15%
21%
7%
1427

N.YORK ETOB. D. TOWN

29%
33%
34%
22%
23%
23%
19%
17%
15%
24%
19%
20%
6%
8%
7%
466
583
813

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?

41%
48%

10%

TOO MANY: 48%

NOT ENOUGH: 10%

JUST RIGHT: 41%

AGE & GENDER BREAKDOWN

TOO MANY
NOT ENOUGH
JUST RIGHT
SAMPLE
BY BOROUGH
TOO MANY
NOT ENOUGH
JUST RIGHT
SAMPLE

18-34 35-49 50-64 65+

37% 46% 54% 59%
12%
11%
10% 7%
51%
43% 36% 34%
399
518
871 705
SCAR.
48%
10%
43%
631

Male
48%
10%
42%
1066

Female
49%
10%
41%
1427

N.YORK ETOB. D. TOWN

47%
51%
49%
11%
9%
10%
42%
39%
41%
466
583
813

Ranked-ballot voting, also known as preferential voting, is a voting system in

which you select your rst 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?
11%

31%

Strongly Approve
Somewhat Approve
Somewhat Disapprove
Strongly Disapprove
Not Sure

21%

13%
25%

TOTAL APPROVAL: 56%

TOTAL DISAPPROVAL: 34%

NOT SURE: 11%

AGE & GENDER BREAKDOWN

STRONGLY APPROVE
SOMEWHAT APPROVE
SOMEWHAT DISAPPROVE
STRONGLY DISAPPROVE
NOT SURE
SAMPLE
BY BOROUGH
STRONGLY APPROVE
SOMEWHAT APPROVE
SOMEWHAT DISAPPROVE
STRONGLY DISAPPROVE
NOT SURE
SAMPLE

18-34 35-49 50-64 65+

31%
34% 32% 25%
16%
29% 27% 29%
15%
8%
12% 18%
32%
18%
16% 15%
7%
12%
12% 13%
399
518
871 705
SCAR.
31%
24%
14%
21%
10%
631

Male
32%
25%
12%
21%
10%
1066

Female
30%
24%
14%
20%
11%
1427

N.YORK ETOB. D. TOWN

32%
33%
29%
23%
28%
25%
11%
11%
14%
23%
18%
20%
11%
10%
11%
466
583
813

The Ontario government has proposed a shorter campaign period for municipal
elections as a potential reform. Some critics have suggested shorter campaign
periods benet incumbent councilors and make it dicult for challengers to
succeed. Do you approve or disapprove of a shorter campaign period for
municipal elections?
5%
15%

41%

14%

Strongly Approve
Somewhat Approve
Somewhat Disapprove
Strongly Disapprove
Not Sure

26%

TOTAL APPROVAL: 67%

TOTAL DISAPPROVAL: 29%

NOT SURE: 5%

AGE & GENDER BREAKDOWN

STRONGLY APPROVE
SOMEWHAT APPROVE
SOMEWHAT DISAPPROVE
STRONGLY DISAPPROVE
NOT SURE
SAMPLE
BY BOROUGH
STRONGLY APPROVE
SOMEWHAT APPROVE
SOMEWHAT DISAPPROVE
STRONGLY DISAPPROVE
NOT SURE
SAMPLE

18-34 35-49 50-64 65+

27%
41%
47% 49%
21%
29% 27% 27%
17%
14%
13% 11%
30%
12%
8%
8%
5%
4%
4%
5%
399
518
871 705
SCAR.
42%
25%
14%
14%
4%
631

Male
41%
26%
14%
14%
5%
1066

Female
40%
26%
14%
16%
4%
1427

N.YORK ETOB. D. TOWN

40%
42%
39%
26%
25%
26%
13%
13%
15%
16%
14%
16%
5%
5%
4%
466
583
813

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 rmly
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?
7%

Strongly Approve
Somewhat Approve
Somewhat Disapprove
Strongly Disapprove
Not Sure

36%

23%

13%

22%

TOTAL APPROVAL: 58%

TOTAL DISAPPROVAL: 36%

NOT SURE: 7%

AGE & GENDER BREAKDOWN

STRONGLY APPROVE
SOMEWHAT APPROVE
SOMEWHAT DISAPPROVE
STRONGLY DISAPPROVE
NOT SURE
SAMPLE
BY BOROUGH
STRONGLY APPROVE
SOMEWHAT APPROVE
SOMEWHAT DISAPPROVE
STRONGLY DISAPPROVE
NOT SURE
SAMPLE

18-34 35-49 50-64

48% 35% 28%
23%
19%
21%
8%
14%
16%
16%
26% 26%
5%
5%
8%
399
518
871
SCAR.
40%
19%
12%
22%
6%
631

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

Male
34%
24%
13%
23%
6%
1066

Female
39%
20%
13%
22%
7%
1427

N.YORK ETOB. D. TOWN

34%
37%
36%
26%
21%
20%
12%
13%
13%
21%
22%
25%
7%
7%
7%
466
583
813

SCRIPT
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 Secure
- Somewhat Secure
- Somewhat Unsecure
- Very Unsecure
- Not Sure
And do you approve or disapprove of introducing Internet Voting for Toronto Municipal Elections?
- Strongly Approve
- Somewhat approve
- Somewhat disapprove
- Strongly disapprove
- 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 rst
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?
- Strongly Approve
- Somewhat approve
- Somewhat disapprove
- Strongly disapprove
- Not Sure

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 benet 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 rmly 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?
- Strongly Approve
- Somewhat approve
- Somewhat disapprove
- Strongly disapprove
- Not Sure