Over the past decade, the provincial Conservatives have consistently outspent the other parties in the province on polling and similar research in both election and off years, according to figures filed with the province’s elections office.
The table below shows the amounts each party reported as spending on research and polling. In general election years, the figures are the reported figures for the general election periods. Parties also may have spent money outside the election period. That isn’t included here.
In most years since 2003, the Tories have been the only party spending anything at all. The party reported no poll spending in 2004 but note that the Premier’s Office polled monthly in that period. They stopped in 2005 when the Telegram asked for and received copies of all the polling under the provincial open records law.
The NDP reported small amounts in 2004 and 2006 but otherwise reported no spending on polls. With the exception of almost $10,000 spent during the 2011 campaign, the Liberals haven’t reported any poll spending since the 2003 election.
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