Two po­lit­i­cal sci­en­tists sug­gest that cit­i­zens could be head­ing to the polls in Au­gust, as it may be the most strate­gic time for prime min­is­ter-des­ig­nate Stu­art Young to call the gen­er­al elec­tion.

Young, who is cur­rent­ly serv­ing as act­ing prime min­is­ter while Dr Kei­th Row­ley is in Cal­i­for­nia, is set to as­sume full lead­er­ship fol­low­ing Row­ley’s of­fi­cial res­ig­na­tion on March 16.

With gen­er­al elec­tion ahead lat­er this year, po­lit­i­cal sci­en­tist Derek Ram­samooj be­lieves Young will aim for a tim­ing that max­imis­es his chances of win­ning. He said sev­er­al key fac­tors must be con­sid­ered, in­clud­ing the mid-year bud­get re­view, which he pre­dicts will be used to sway vot­ers.