Waterloo Region voters weigh in on upcoming provincial election

CTV’s Jeff Pickel checks to see how local residents are feeling as the provincial election draws closer.

The leaders’ debate aired Monday and now some Waterloo Region residents are weighing in with thoughts on how it went as the provincial election draws closer.

Some said it lacked substance.

“It wasn’t really a great way to do much more than see how the leader’s react to each other. Because it is almost like theatre,” one resident said.

Experts agree and said typically debates rarely move the needle.

“So the debate really didn’t present any surprises or anything shocking. It was quite a normal debate,” said Andrea Perrella, a Wilfrid Laurier University professor.

Perrella said debates can benefit lesser-known candidates like Bonnie Crombie and Marit Stiles.

“This is their first provincial election as leaders of their respective parties. So they just wanted to be better known. And I think that that was achieved,” Perrella said.

Some did not even know the leaders’ debate was happening.

“I didn’t see that,” said one resident.

Others said they do care about the election, but they will get more educated on the candidates close to election day.

According to Perrella, last-minute cramming on candidates is common.

“We know we have to file our taxes but we don’t always do it early. We wait until close to the deadline saying, ‘All right, maybe I should file my taxes now.’ And it’s the same idea that a lot of voters wake up to the election and engage with it and the last couple of days and that’s where you may see some tightening unless something drastic happens,” Perrella said.

He expects to see the polls shift on election day but not by much.

“And in the last couple of days, we may see narrowing in the polls. I don’t know if we’re going to see a flip. I don’t think we’re going to be seeing a lead in any other party,” he said.

Advanced polling begins Feb. 20. Polls close Feb. 27 at 9 p.m.