Election campaigns are often referred to as races because it’s an analogy that works on almost every level. Just like a real foot race, the beginning can make all the difference but sometimes the big names can take a while to hit their stride.

This federal election campaign has been a marathon, 78 days of shaking hands and photo ops for the party leaders.

In true marathon fashion, there has been ebb and flow to the public support for various parties that has baffled pollsters and pundits alike.

Flashback to late August and the numbers indicated that Tom Mulcair’s New Democratic Party (NDP) were poised to take a majority government. Just three weeks later, the “big three” parties were at a stalemate with less than one per cent separating them from each other.

The most recent poll numbers from Oct. 11 indicate that the Liberal party has a narrow lead over the Conservative party, consisting of just a couple of points. At one time or another, each of the big three have led in the poll numbers. That being said, all three have been the last pick in the polls at some time in the last six weeks as well.

The most dramatic shifts have been seen in the support base of the NDP. Their poll numbers have been in free-fall for almost two months with barely discernible upticks that were few and far between. A number of factors have been at play for Mulcair including a major loss of support from Quebec, where he once enjoyed a lead of a full 30 per cent over the second place party. In an effort to gain support across the country, it appears the NDP has alienated a substantial part of their Francophone base. As the downward spiral continues, the issue will compound itself as strategic voters lose faith in the viability of an NDP government.

As the NDP consistently falls behind in the polls, the Liberal and Conservative parties have traded the lead back and forth during the last four weeks with no clear favourite emerging. The biggest advantage for the Liberal Party is that a disenchanted NDP supporter has a higher probability of choosing Justin Trudeau over Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The only place where that doesn’t ring true is in the highly populated province of Quebec, where Gilles Duceppe of the Bloc Quebecois has the ability to steal support away from the big three.

Advance polls have already reflected a higher level of voter engagement than in the 2011 federal election and is a result of how divisive many of the wedge issues are. Voter apathy has been a chronic condition in Canada for decades, but it seems like this election could be a turning point; there are issues affecting students, seniors and families, in identifiable ways this time around. When the margins become so small, leaders must appeal to more diverse groups for the tiny gains that will end up making the difference.

If you’re still on the fence, type “ISide- With” into Google and take their quiz to determine which party’s policies align with your values. After you get your result, Google “(your riding) Global News riding profile” for the most recent poll in your area. There are an abundance of resources to help you make the right decision and you owe it to yourself to take advantage of them.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.