The fate of Premier Greg Selinger lies in the hands of NDP delegates, but on the eve of the leadership vote, some Manitobans who spoke to CTV News don’t even know who the candidates are, and say it doesn’t matter to them who wins.
“I could see it being a positive change, but in the end, I wouldn’t vote differently,” said Winnipegger Darlene Wiebe.
Josh Drury usually decides his vote based on party politics and doesn’t think this race will sway public opinion too much.
“I do think they’ve got a slightly worse chance with Selinger,” said Drury. “But I’m not sure it’s going to make a huge difference.”
Political analyst Christopher Adams says despite the apparent apathy the general public feels about the NDP leadership race, the result will likely have an impact on the party’s fortunes at the ballot box next year, whether Selinger retains power or is defeated by Steve Ashton or Theresa Oswald.
"Each of the three candidates have different positives and negatives for the voters in the spring 2016 election,” he said.
On Saturday, the Manitoba NDP elected former Assembly of First Nations National Chief Ovide Mercredi as president.
He hops the party can come together following the convention, but admits the leadership controversy has not sent a positive message to voters.
"Well, I think it’s very apparent, isn’t it?” he said. “It shows disunity in the party. It shows that there's a sense of grievance within the leadership. And that it needs to be cleared up before we go to the electorate."
Looming a little more than a year away, the election casts a long shadow over NDP delegates who have to be thinking about how their choice will be received by voters.
"I wouldn't vote for Brian Pallister either way so it wouldn't really change that decision,” said potential voter Claire Woodbury. “But I guess it would probably change whether I would vote NDP or Liberal."
