Bernard Grech skyrocketed in ‘likeability’ survey among PN’s paid-up members

Bernard Grech closed off his campaign for the leadership of the Nationalist Party with flying colours: at least, that’s what a series of internal surveys seen by MaltaToday show.

A ‘likeability’ survey carried out among PN paid-up members on 25 September – a sample of 740 from the 21,499 members who had yet to vote – asked them which candidate they preferred. Bernard Grech clocked an astounding 73.9%.

The members were not asked who they would vote for. Adrian Delia’s likeability at that stage was just over 25%.

After the first weekend in which early voters put in their vote, a new survey asking the remaining a sample of 750 from the remaining 11,155 voters “who they prefer” between Grech and Delia, was carried out.

That survey gave Grech a 66.5% likeability vote.

The pollsters who showed MaltaToday their data said the change was either an indication of an early drive from Grech’s voters, or a sign that Adrian Delia had indeed made inroads.

Grech had won the ‘preference’ battle at all strata: age, gender, electoral district, and education.

But in the final survey, Adrian Delia was more preferred by voters on the second and third electoral districts, and voters with a primary education.

The data seen by MaltaToday was part of a series of internal surveys not carried out by the Nationalist Party. Observers with access to the data suggested that the weighting of the global and restricted surveys, returned an average of 70.9% likeability. But whether that has converted into votes is another matter.