The race to become the next mayor of Mississauga is set to go down to the wire, according to a new poll.
The Mainstreet Research poll shows Carolyn Parrish and Dipika Damerla in a dead heat heading into Monday’s vote, with Alvin Tedjo and Stephen Dasko also within striking distance. The poll finds Parrish with 16.9 per cent support and Damerla with 16.2 per cent, which is within the poll’s margin of error.
Tedjo is third with 14.7 per cent support, followed by Dasko at 11.6 per cent.
“This race appeared to be a foregone conclusion for Parrish as 2024 began, but is now a competitive race for the top four candidates,” said Quito Maggi, President and CEO of Mainstreet. “It remains hers to lose at this point with advantages among those who already voted and among older voters who tend to show up to vote in Municipal elections,” he added.
“It could be a long night for Mississauga voters on Monday.”
When those who have voted in the advance polls are taken into consideration, Parrish’s lead increases to almost 30 per cent while Tedjo’s support climbs to nearly 24 per cent. Damerla sits at just over 21 per cent, with Dasko at 19 per cent.
However, 33 per cent of those asked said they were still undecided, meaning the actual outcome likely won’t be known until well into Monday night.
The automated telephone survey was conducted from Monday, June 3, to Tuesday, June 4, among 1,176 adults living in Mississauga. It has a margin of error of +/—2.9 per cent 19 times out of 20.