Deputy Premier Paula Cox is the overwhelming front-runner in the race for the Progressive Labour Party leadership, a new poll shows.

Seventy-seven percent of PLP supporters said they want Ms Cox to succeed Premier Ewart Brown at this month's annual conference, compared with ten percent for backbencher Dale Butler and five percent for challenger Terry Lister.

Ms Cox also comes out on top among the population as a whole, with 42 percent saying she should be the next Premier in the survey carried out over the past week or so.

Mr. Butler scores 25 percent from across the Country, gleaning much of his backing from supporters of the United Bermuda Party and Bermuda Democratic Alliance. Mr. Lister gets 12 percent from across the Island.

Ms Cox has long been deemed the hot favourite for the top job, and has been widely touted for a "coronation" having served as Dr. Brown's deputy for the past four years.

The Finance Minister's popularity across the Island dipped earlier this year when she released a much-criticised Budget and described herself as a "cog in the wheel" unable to refuse Ministers' requests for more money.

And Mr. Lister had hoped he was gaining ground by staging a public campaign with a succession of town hall meetings designed to get a mandate from the people.

But the poll shows Ms Cox, who is said to have been complimented by PLP members for holding her campaign with delegates behind closed doors, is now further in front than three months ago.

In Mindmaps' previous survey in July, 38 percent of the population wanted Ms Cox to win the leadership race, compared with 37 percent for Mr. Butler and eight percent for Mr. Lister.

A breakdown of the figures shows Ms Cox does particularly well with the younger generation and blacks, with 52 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds picking Ms Cox compared with 22 percent for Mr. Butler and four percent for Mr. Lister.

Sixty-one percent of blacks voted for Ms Cox, compared with 14 percent for Mr. Butler and seven percent for Mr. Lister.

Mr. Butler does well among whites, with 38 percent, compared with 19 percent each for Ms Cox and Mr. Lister.

Two percent of people said they wanted an alternative to the three candidates. There was one vote each for Public Safety Minister David Burch, former Environment Minister Arthur Hodgson, Education Minister El James, former Premier Alex Scott, Energy Minister Michael Scott, former Premier Dame Jennifer Smith and Justice Minister Kim Wilson. One person said Dr. Brown should not step down.

Mr. Butler, who launched his campaign at the Salvation Army with a string of pledges on social issues, has said he is saving most of his talking for the conference.

Yesterday, he said: "We will shortly find out if the survey is accurate or not when we look at the final count on Thursday, October 28."

Mr. Lister and Ms Cox could not be reached for comment.

The telephone survey of 400 people was carried out between September 28 and October 4 and has a margin of error of 4.9 percent.