The three-way race to be the next Mississauga mayor is expected to come down to the wire with just five points separating the top candidates among decided voters, a new poll indicates.
The new poll by Canada Pulse Insights for CityNews found among decided voters, 30 per cent would vote for incumbent Carolyn Parrish, 26 per cent are supporting Alvin Tedjo, who serves as Ward 2 councillor, and former Mayor Bonnie Crombie has 25 per cent of the vote. In fourth, Dipika Damerla has 12 per cent of the vote while eight per cent would not vote for any of the top candidates.
Among all voters, 24 per cent support Parrish, another 20 support Tedjo while 19 per cent would vote for Crombie. Damerla, who is the councillor for Ward 7 – Cooksville and a former MPP for Mississauga East-Cooksville, has nine per cent of the vote. Eighteen per cent of Mississauga voters are undecided.
Nearly two-thirds of voters say it’s time for a change of mayor while 36 per cent say Parrish deserves to be re-elected. Among undecided voters, only 30 per cent say she deserves to be re-elected while 70 per cent want change.
Among those who want change, 28 per cent would be voting for Tedjo. Crombie, who left the position of mayor after the 2022 election to become the Ontario Liberal leader, has 22 per cent support.
Twenty per cent have not decided and seven per cent would still vote for Parrish.
Pollster John Wright said Tedjo will be one to watch in the final weeks of the campaign because Parrish and Crombie are well known by voters already.
“I think what’s happening here is that is that Alvin Tedjo is wedging up in between. He’s got a different personality. He has a different message. It is more pragmatic in terms of what he’s offering,” said Wright. “He is a more moderate influence, and I think that’s what’s attracting that group on the sidelines.”
He added heading into the debates, Parrish and Crombie should just focus on the issues. “They’re going to have to focus on what they have always done in office, and that is to say, I have a plan for the people as opposed to simply attacking [Tedjo].”
“They are already established candidates with personalities, and as a result of that, people are used to the combative style of both of them. I think it’s also going to be hard for them if they both try to light up Alvin Tedjo in the middle here because that will shine through.”
CityNews will be hosting a Mississauga mayoral candidates debate on Thursday Oct. 1 between Parrish, Tedjo, Crombie and Damerla. It will be hosted by Mark McAllister and be streamed live starting at 7 p.m. on CityNews 24/7.
The municipal election is scheduled for Oct. 26 and voters will be receiving their voting cards in their mailbox in the coming days. Advance voting for Mississauga will take place from Tuesday Oct. 6 to Sunday Oct. 11.
This survey was conducted among 514 adult residents (399 decided) of the City of Mississauga in Ontario by Canada Pulse Insights between September 14 and 25, 2026 through an online panel platform managed by Sago. The margin of error for a probability-based sample of this size is ±4.3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
The three-way race to be the next Mississauga mayor is expected to come down to the wire with just five points separating the top candidates among decided voters, a new poll indicates. The new poll by Canada Pulse Insights for CityNews found among decided voters, 30 per cent would vote for incumbent Carolyn Parrish, 26 Local
The three-way race to be the next Mississauga mayor is expected to come down to the wire with just five points separating the top candidates among decided voters, a new poll indicates.
The new poll by Canada Pulse Insights for CityNews found among decided voters, 30 per cent would vote for incumbent Carolyn Parrish, 26 per cent are supporting Alvin Tedjo, who serves as Ward 2 councillor, and former Mayor Bonnie Crombie has 25 per cent of the vote. In fourth, Dipika Damerla has 12 per cent of the vote while eight per cent would not vote for any of the top candidates.
Among all voters, 24 per cent support Parrish, another 20 support Tedjo while 19 per cent would vote for Crombie. Damerla, who is the councillor for Ward 7 – Cooksville and a former MPP for Mississauga East-Cooksville, has nine per cent of the vote. Eighteen per cent of Mississauga voters are undecided.
Nearly two-thirds of voters say it’s time for a change of mayor while 36 per cent say Parrish deserves to be re-elected. Among undecided voters, only 30 per cent say she deserves to be re-elected while 70 per cent want change.
Among those who want change, 28 per cent would be voting for Tedjo. Crombie, who left the position of mayor after the 2022 election to become the Ontario Liberal leader, has 22 per cent support.
Twenty per cent have not decided and seven per cent would still vote for Parrish.
Pollster John Wright said Tedjo will be one to watch in the final weeks of the campaign because Parrish and Crombie are well known by voters already.
“I think what’s happening here is that is that Alvin Tedjo is wedging up in between. He’s got a different personality. He has a different message. It is more pragmatic in terms of what he’s offering,” said Wright. “He is a more moderate influence, and I think that’s what’s attracting that group on the sidelines.”
He added heading into the debates, Parrish and Crombie should just focus on the issues. “They’re going to have to focus on what they have always done in office, and that is to say, I have a plan for the people as opposed to simply attacking [Tedjo].”
“They are already established candidates with personalities, and as a result of that, people are used to the combative style of both of them. I think it’s also going to be hard for them if they both try to light up Alvin Tedjo in the middle here because that will shine through.”
CityNews will be hosting a Mississauga mayoral candidates debate on Thursday Oct. 1 between Parrish, Tedjo, Crombie and Damerla. It will be hosted by Mark McAllister and be streamed live starting at 7 p.m. on CityNews 24/7.
The municipal election is scheduled for Oct. 26 and voters will be receiving their voting cards in their mailbox in the coming days. Advance voting for Mississauga will take place from Tuesday Oct. 6 to Sunday Oct. 11.
This survey was conducted among 514 adult residents (399 decided) of the City of Mississauga in Ontario by Canada Pulse Insights between September 14 and 25, 2026 through an online panel platform managed by Sago. The margin of error for a probability-based sample of this size is ±4.3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.