Voters attracted to social, extroverted candidates: expert

With just a week to go before Albertans head to the polls, what exactly are voters looking for when picking the next premier?

Behaviour Expert Lynne Honey from McEwan University says people are more likely to support a politician that is more extroverted and social.

However, she tells City News, the candidates can’t go too far.

“We don’t want to see that sort of false confidence. We don’t want to see arrogance. We want to see someone who has strength in conviction, we want to see someone who knows that they can accomplish what has to be accomplished and we want to see someone who’s not going to give up,” she said.

Honey says making snide jabs at each other, won’t get the candidates far.

“They need to show evidence that they are able to co-operate, that they have a level of agreeableness, which is another personality trait that they need to show, that they can actually get along and solve conflicts, without just mud-slinging and calling each other, you know, horrible names,” she said.

Honey says Liberal David Swann, although more reserved, can be seen as someone with a lot of integrity, while Wildrose Leader Brian Jean is staying with party lines and repeating what voters want to hear.

She adds, The NDP’s Rachel Notley is seen as someone with a very social personality, while PC Leader Jim Prentice appears more all-around conservative.

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