Numbers.lk's First Pre-Election Poll: AKD Emerges as Frontrunner, But Falls Short of the Crucial 50%

Numbers.lk's first pre-election poll results point to Anura Kumara Dissanayake as the frontrunner in Sri Lanka's upcoming presidential election, though no candidate has secured a clear majority yet. The poll surveyed 2,048 adults across all 22 electoral districts online from April 4-18, and it has a margin of error of +/- 3.5%.

According to the survey finding, Anura Kumara Dissanayaka leads the presidential race with 46% support among Sri Lankan adults. He holds a substantial lead over Sajith Premadasa, who has 22% support, and the incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who trails with 18%. However, with 10% of voters still undecided and another 4% backing other candidates, the race remains open for potential shifts before election day.

Anuna Kumara Dissanayake's core strengths lie with Sri Lanka's youngest voters, securing a staggering 67% support among first-time voters. He also leads comfortably among the under-40 crowd. Premadasa counters with a base among older generations whose highest educational attainment is below A/L levels.
However, Premadasa significantly lags with first-time voters compared to the other top candidates. Only 3% of these crucial first time voters say they plan to vote for the SJB's Sajith Premadasa. At the same time, incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe captures 10% approval in this group.
Another 10% of first-time voters report intending to vote for other candidates outside the top three. And a further 10% remain undecided, leaving a substantial pool of young votes still up for grabs.