NACTA: Voter enthusiasm for election at record low

NACTA said its poll shows that right now almost two-fifths (of the electorate) won’t vote. It opined that this year's election "may hold the record of lowest enthusiasm about voting because of the rejection of candidates from both sides (PNM and UNC)."

On the disappointment over the selection of some PNM and UNC candidates, it said, "Voters would have preferred another candidate of both parties in over half of the constituencies."

Nevertheless, the minor parties only have three per cent popular support from voters, and eight per cent of voters are undecided over who they will support.

NACTA (the North American Teachers Association) reiterated,"The excitement level for this election is perhaps the lowest in history."

These were among the findings of the latest NACTA poll, released on Thursday.

This poll was based on the findings of interviews of 520 likely voters, reflecting the demographic composition of Trinidad, carried out over the last several days.

NACTA said its updated findings shows the PNM continues to hold the advantage over the UNC, although the UNC has been narrowing the gap in key marginal constituencies, where the outcome of the election will be decided.

In a poll on July 25, NACTA said many seats regarded by political analysts as marginal are no longer marginal, as the PNM won those seats by over 3,000 votes in the 2015 general election, and it will be difficult for the UNC to close that gap. NACTA said the PNM is leading in five seats, the UNC is ahead in three and one marginal is a toss-up.

The PNM and UNC are reportedly certain to hold their respective base support and win 15 seats each.

But when the latest numbers of popular support are updated with earlier aggregates of the last month, NACTA said the UNC has a slim lead over the PNM of 45 to 44 per cent.

NACTA said the covid19 pandemic will be a major challenge for parties in terms of getting their supporters out to vote on August 10. It added, "Whichever side could get out their supporters on election day machinery would have the edge."

So the party with the best election machinery will win the August 10 election.

The poll found three-fifths of the voters are dissatisfied with the PNM's performance in government. But the poll also shows that while UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar is seen by some voters as more compassionate than PNM leader Dr Keith Rowley, "a higher compassionate rating is not reflecting in popular support for Kamla’s party as the two major parties are locked in a dead heat."

NACTA added, "Party and racial loyalty seem to mean a lot more to voters."

The poll also showed 87 per cent of respondents are not confident about TT's future.

NACTA said a poll on popular support for parties in Tobago will be released on Sunday.