Poll update

A reminder that all polls are collected for your voting and result-viewing convenience on the special LawsWatch poll site. The running total for any poll can be checked by clicking the "view" button. If you haven't already voted, please do so.

The poll of greatest interest at this time is undoubtedly the one which asks the question "Who would make the best candidate in the forthcoming by-election".

To save you clicking away to the poll then returning, the results as at 2:00pm today were:

• John Martin has a narrow lead with 36%
• Jodie Dalgleish is close behind with 31%
• Carla Donson is a long way back on 9%
• Ken Mair and Rob Vinsen both have 7%
• Margaret Campion is on 5%
• Ross Mitchell-Anyon has 4%
• Graeme Adams, Richard Moore, Chas Poynter, Stephen Palmer, Jill Pettis, Alan Taylor, Judith Timpany and Bob Walker had received no support.

While the small sample size makes it difficult to extrapolate the results to date across a city-wide by-election, it seems clear that John Martin and Jodie Dalgleish have stronger support than other potential candidates and therefore if they both stood they would split the vote. Similarly, any of the other candidates registering support may, if they stood, draw crucial votes away from an otherwise strong contender.

While LawsWatch isn't in the business of organising anyone to do anything, those that are talking of putting up a strong independent alternative in the forthcoming by-election had better start strategising.