Elizabeth May could win in Saanich-Gulf Islands

Yahoo News:

Green party Leader Elizabeth May could be on her way to victory in the riding of Saanich-Gulf Islands, at least according to a recent poll.

In a press release distributed Tuesday, the party says 45 per cent of decided voters in the riding would vote for May, compared with 38 per cent for incumbent Conservative MP Gary Lunn.

The poll, commissioned by the Greens and conducted by Oraclepoll Research, surveyed 389 voting age residents between April 18 and April 19. The margin of error is 4.9 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

University of Victoria political scientist Dennis Pilon told the Vancouver Sun the poll confirms his belief May could win the party's first seat in Parliament.

"She has the people on the ground and she's been building up her profile in the riding the last two last years, doing a lot of door-knocking," he said. "She has aimed the entire Green party machine at this riding."

In her favour, May's riding has a history of environmental activism. In 2008, Liberal candidate and local environmentalist Briony Penny placed close second to Lunn with 39 per cent of the vote.

"There is a weird vote split in Saanich-Gulf Islands," said Pilon. "You've got post-hippies and latte-quaffing yuppies enjoying the good-life on the islands. And then you've got some very privileged people with a lot of money."

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