Angus Reid poll: 78% of BC adults name something they dislike about David Eby
A new Angus Reid Institute survey finds David Eby carries high unfavourable awareness while Lorne Doerkson remains largely unknown to undecided voters, two weeks before voting day.
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A new Angus Reid Institute survey finds that 78% of British Columbia adults could name something they dislike about BC NDP leader David Eby, while BC Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson remains largely unknown to undecided voters two weeks before voting day.
The Angus Reid Institute released the results on October 8. The survey ran October 1 to 3, 2026, and covered 1,013 BC adults. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
What voters said about Eby
The poll asked respondents to volunteer, without prompting, something they like and something they dislike about each leader. According to the Angus Reid Institute, 78% of respondents named at least one thing they dislike about Eby. Only 46% named something positive.
The most common criticism, named by 24% of respondents, was dishonesty or broken promises. Weak leadership came second at 20%. On the positive side, personal character and competent leadership each received 13%.
The Angus Reid Institute notes that a high negative-awareness score comes with stronger name recognition: voters who can name a specific dislike are also more engaged with that leader, which can mean stronger turnout among both opponents and supporters.
What voters said about Doerkson
Doerkson's numbers look different. The Angus Reid Institute found that 31% of all adults polled could not name anything they like about him. Among undecided voters, that rises to 55%. Half of undecided respondents could also not name a criticism.
Among those who did have a view, the top positives were conservative values, a desire for change or a fresh start, and honesty, each named by 14% of respondents. The top criticism was conservative ideology at 18%, followed by inexperience at 10% and concerns about social issues or extremism at 10%.
The Angus Reid Institute described these numbers as showing "room for movement": Doerkson has not yet been defined for a large share of the people who have not yet made up their minds.
What to watch before you vote
The only scheduled leaders debate is on October 14, a week before advance voting opens. CHEK television is broadcasting it. This survey was conducted before that debate, so the numbers capture how voters sized up both leaders without it.
Advance voting runs from October 16 to 21. Voting day is October 24, 2026. To find your district and what is on your ballot, see the candidates and parties for this election.
Questions this story answers
Who conducted this poll and when?
The Angus Reid Institute conducted the poll from October 1 to 3, 2026. The sample was 1,013 British Columbia adults. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. The Angus Reid Institute is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization. The full release is at angusreid.org.
What did the poll find about David Eby?
According to the Angus Reid Institute, 78% of BC adults polled named at least one thing they dislike about BC NDP leader David Eby. Only 46% named something they like. The top criticisms named were dishonesty or broken promises (24% of respondents) and weak leadership (20%). The top positives named were personal character (13%) and competent leadership (13%). These are what survey respondents volunteered, not prompted choices.
What did the poll find about Lorne Doerkson?
The Angus Reid Institute found that 31% of all BC adults polled could not name anything they like about BC Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson. Among undecided voters specifically, 55% could not name a positive, and 50% could not name a criticism either. The top positives volunteered were conservative values (14%), change or a fresh start (14%), and honesty (14%). The top criticisms were conservative ideology (18%), inexperience (10%), and concerns about social issues or extremism (10%).
How does this poll differ from the earlier Angus Reid poll on October 5?
The October 5 Angus Reid poll measured voting intention, finding the Conservatives held a five-point lead. This October 8 release uses the same October 1 to 3 fieldwork to look at leader perception: what voters volunteer as likes and dislikes about each leader. The two releases come from the same survey but report different sets of questions.
What does 'undecided voters' mean in this poll?
The Angus Reid Institute grouped respondents who had not settled on a party as 'undecided voters.' The poll found this group knows less about Lorne Doerkson than those who have already chosen a party: 55% of undecided respondents could not name something positive about him, compared to 31% of all adults. That means Doerkson has more room to shape how undecided voters see him in the final two weeks.
What is the leaders debate and when does it happen?
The only provincial leaders debate of this campaign is scheduled for October 14, 2026. CHEK television is broadcasting it. The debate is seven days before advance voting begins on October 16. This poll, conducted October 1 to 3, captures leader perceptions before that debate, so voters who watch it may change how they answer similar questions afterward.
When is voting day for the BC provincial election?
Voting day is October 24, 2026. Advance voting runs from October 16 to 21. To check your district and find your voting place, visit Elections BC. You can also see your candidates and parties at /bc/provincial-2026.
Where can I read the full poll results?
The full Angus Reid Institute release, including charts and the complete methodology, is at angusreid.org/eby-vs-doerkson. The poll was conducted October 1 to 3, 2026, with 1,013 BC adults and a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
- Angus Reid Institute: Eby vs. Doerkson leader perception pollangusreid.org
- Elections BC: vote by mail and advance votingelections.bc.ca
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