Normally, Vancouver civic election campaigns rev up after Labour Day.

But a new survey shows that some people have already decided which mayoral candidate they're leaning toward supporting.

In a poll of 552 adults, Mainstreet Research has reported that 17.1 percent prefer the incumbent, Kennedy Stewart.

He's followed by Team for a Livable Vancouver's Colleen Hardwick at 13.2 percent and Progress Vancouver's Mark Marissen at 11.3 percent

ABC Vancouver mayoral candidate Ken Sim had the support of 10.9 percent, followed by the NPA's John Coupar at 6.1 percent.

More than 40 percent remain undecided.

Marissen told the Straight that he's encouraged by the poll, which tells him that voters want candidates who are taking a clear stand on the issues.

"We're very clear about the fact that we need to build housing. We’re very clear about it," Marissen said. "And the mayor spent the last four years coming up with a plan to make a plan about this. We know that we don’t need a plan to know that we need family-oriented housing around schools and around transit and we’ll do it right away if I become the mayor.”

Marissen emphasized that he's focused on campaigning to defeat Stewart, so he wasn't interested in commenting on Sim or Coupar.

But he was willing to talk about the mayoral candidacy of Hardwick, who has voted against several rezoning proposals for more housing units.

"Her view is the politics of nostalgia and mine is the politics of progress," Marissen said. "So we’ll see which one wins out. And the mayor’s is the politics of paralysis."

Marissen and Hardwick have both been longtime supporters of the federal Liberals. Stewart is a former NDP MP.

The most important issue, according to respondents, is creating affordable housing, followed by decreasing taxes, increasing/improving services, improving transit, and dealing with roads and infrastructure.

Hardwick has the most support among women at 16.7 percent, followed by Stewart at 15.2 percent.

Stewart was preferred by the most men at 19 percent, followed by Marissen at 17.1 percent.

The university-educated preferred Hardwick followed by Stewart.

The mayor came out ahead among those earning more than $75,000 per year and under $50,000 per year, whereas Hardwick was the top choice among those earning $50,000 to $75,000 per year.

Mainstreet reported that the survey occurred between July 25 and 27 using automated telephone interviews.

The margin of error is plus or minus 4.2 percent 19 times out of 20.