Sean Gallagher has cemented his lead in the race for the presidential election, according to the latest Sunday Business Post / RED C poll, with less than a week to polling day. Despite the bookies and the media suggesting that Michael D. Higgins would close the gap, Gallagher is being seen by voters as the best bet for President.  He secures 40% of the first preference vote in the poll conducted between Tuesday the 18th and Thursday the 21st of October, a gain of 1% since the previous poll a week before. This suggests the momentum he had seen behind him has levelled off in the last week, but it does confirm that the level of support he saw in last week’s poll was not a blip.

The fact that this poll very closely matches that taken a week ago, suggests that many people may have potentially made up their mind at this stage.   There are still 10% of the electorate that are likely to vote who say they are undecided, but this is a relatively low figure when we compare it to a past general elections a week before polling day.  However, there is of course still a week from when the last interviews were conducted on this poll and the election itself, and a week is a long time in politics!  Given the significant shifts we have seen in the past, this means things could still change in the week ahead.  But based on this poll it is very much Gallagher’s election to lose.

Download the full poll report below:-

SBP- President Poll – 23rd Oct 2011