But it wouldn’t even be close if McCallion was in the race.

“We’ve polled cities across Canada on mayoral approval, and Hazel has always stood far above the crowd. As the longest serving democratically elected official in the world, she’s been doing something right for almost 40 years,” said Forum Research president Lorne Bozinoff.

The poll shows that 82 per cent of those surveyed approve of the job McCallion is doing.

If she is forced to step down because of the conflict case – in which she’s accused of taking votes at the Region of Peel that stood to save her son’s company $11 million in development charges – a by-election could be called. Otherwise, council could decide to have an interim mayor appointed until the next election in October 2014.

If found guilty, McCallion could appeal the decision, but provincial legislation states that council would have to decide within 60 days of removal from office if the mayor would be replaced through a by-election or by appointment. A decision after a possible appeal would likely come before the 60 day deadline.

Councillors have indicated that appointment is the route they would prefer, as it would save about $1.6 million for a by-election.