According to Laura Ballance, of Laura Ballance Media Group (LBMG), her company is not performing the telephone survey reported last week asking Abbotsford residents who they voted for in the last election and how firm their decision is about the mayoralty candidates in this election.
“LBMG isn’t doing any polling in Abbotsford,” said Ballance in an email reply to a question from Abbotsford Today.
Ballance was asked if LBMG is acting on behalf of Mayor Banman in media or marketing matters in his campaign for re-election and told Abbotsford Today the firm is not but did help with the coordination of Banman’s re-election announcement.
Henry Braun
Abbotsford Today is continuing to this story and will post updates as it evolves.
07/11/14
Abbotsford Today has received several enquiries about a telephone survey being conducted seeking respondents’ opinions on the upcoming municipal election and how firmly they support their preferred mayoralty candidate.
According to one report the survey includes the following questions:
- Who the respondent voted for in the last election
- What issues are of most pressing concern for the upcoming municipal election
- How firm the respondent is on their choice for mayor
The City of Abbotsford has stated that the survey is not being done by the City and that no taxpayer dollars are being spent on the survey.
The City has paid for telephone surveys, whose purpose was questioned, before in advance of the failed Water Referendum during the last municipal election. Some felt the surveys were slanted in a manner that would sway voters on an election issue.
In the P3 Water Referendum during the last election, a secretive group of private individuals put up Vote Yes signs, one of which was placed near City Hall, urging citizens to go along with then-CAO Frank Pizzuto’s and then-mayor George Peary’s plan to spend $300,000,000 on a new water supply which both men knew the City didn’t need.
Abbotsford Today is making enquiries of the various campaigns and politicians who have announced their intentions of running and has, so far, received denials. We will continue to update this story as it develops.
If you have any information on this story you can contact us at editor@abbotsfordtoday.ca.
Updated 7/11/14 13:47
Updated 7/18/14 11:22
Updated 7/18/14 13:50
Updated 7/18/14 20:41
7/20/14 07:05
First of all, I’m amazed that anyone with a call display will even pick up the receiver, when the screen reads ‘no number, no name’. But two of my friends did, as have some more Abbotsford residents.
The survey automated voice says it is some company in Toronto.
City Manager, George Murray kindly responded to my question, assuring that no city, ie: public money, was spent on this. Well that is a relief! While it did not seem possible, you can’t be too sure around here. Our council certainly authorized some big spending TWICE now, not to inform, not to ask our opinion, but to manipulate a favourable outcome on referendum questions where there were two possible answers, but the city used our money to assure any opposing opinions were shut out.
So it’s easy to wonder, when a mystery person, or group conducts a poll in the heat of July about the November election.
Henry Braun says neither he, nor his team are behind this interesting early start, so then he isn’t.
So who is?
Correction: It’s now 3 of my friends who got the telephone survey, but one pointedly corrected me,….. she does not have a call display.
However my point remains this,… how accurate can these automated polls be, given that most people will not give them the time of day?
And what an ostentatious start to the mayoral race. One of the serious contenders starts his campaign with an unidentified survey. (Unless of course there is a serious 3rd contender). This all bodes well for openness and transparency at city hall.
So who is?
There are three reasons for an anonymous survey in
the middle of July.
1. A group of people are serious about finding out people’s
thoughts about candidates, who’ve announced they’re
running for the Mayor’s seat, in order to strategize their
election platform soon.
2. A group of people are feeling threatened and are eager to
find out the “lay of the land” now, so they can begin their
assault on the opposition.
3. A group of people are trying to determine, whom it would be
best to give their campaign donations to.. who would be
most likely to serve their self-interests from the Mayor’s chamber’s.
This reminds me of the person/s, who put out lawn signs in support of the P3 Water project and felt the need to remain anonymous.