Although we are still years away from the next round of municipal, provincial and federal elections in Alberta, a handful of provincial and municipal by-elections will be held in the first half of 2016.
Calgary-Greenway provincial by-election
The death of Progressive Conservative MLA Manmeet Bhullar on Nov. 23, 2015 means that a by-election will be held to choose the next MLA for the Calgary-Greenway constituency early this year. According to provincial elections laws, a by-election will need to take place before the end of May 2016.
This by-election will be the second held since the May 2015 provincial general election. The by-election will test whether the PCs have the ability and appeal to hold on to one of their nine remaining seats in the Legislative Assembly. Both the New Democratic Party and Wildrose Party will be looking to win this by-election as well in order to marginalize the PCs and add to their own caucus strength.
I have created a dedicated webpage to track the candidates running in Calgary-Greenway by-election.
Edmonton Ward 12 Council by-election
Twenty-five candidates have now registered their intention to run in a Feb. 22 by-election to replace City Councillor Amarjeet Sohi in Edmonton’s Ward 12. Mr. Sohi was elected as the Liberal Member of Parliament for Edmonton-Mill Woods on Oct. 19, 2015.
Brooks Mayor and Council by-elections
The election of Martin Shields as the Conservative MP for Bow River on Oct. 19, 2015 has triggered a Jan. 18, 2016 by-election to fill the Mayor’s chair in the City of Brooks. Councillor Barry Morishita and lawyer Sarah Bisbee are running for mayor and seven candidates are running for the council seat made vacant by Mr. Morishita.
The Brooks and District Chamber of Commerce is holding a candidates forum on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2016 at 7 pm. at the Heritage Inn and Convention Centre.
6 replies on “On your mark, get set… go! By-elections to kick off 2016 in Alberta politics”
This is a poorer riding in Calgary where the Wildrose has not done well. With the NDP’s radical policies and poor polling showing lately, the PC’s will easily pick this up again.
@Joe: the Wildrose had a lower percentage in the general election in Foothills than in Greenway, and still won the Foothills byelection.
Having said that, since in this case Bhullar died instead of quitting on election night, I wouldn’t necessarily expect the PC and Wildrose percentages to just about reverse themselves. The NDP popular vote dropping compared to the general election, though, I fully expect.
Great comment. I would also add that in this riding the candidates chosen by the WR and PCs could be the deciding factor in a tight race. Also the WR have more funds to devote to winning the by-election; the PC’s piggy bank is dry.
My money would be on the WR but it would not surprise me to see a PC victory. It is clear though that the Dippers will go zero for two.
But the race will not be funded from the party level necessarily- good chance it will be all local funding
Jockeying for position now only leads to more Municipal and Provincial seats in the future. Is that truly what Albertan’s need right now ?
More Politicians to Feed @ AB Treasury or more informed politicians with less seats and more influence in the #ABLEG to respond to Constituents concerns with the Ear of the Cabinet of the Party in Power. I don’t see ” American Pharoah” in the Field of Alberta Politics Today.
Each and every Election requires us Taxpayers to Ante Up and Shoot(vote), Shovel(BS) and Shut up for four or five years.
Depending on the candidate for the PC, and there is one that is thinking about it. It will be a win for the PC largely due to a sympathy vote. If that person does not run, then it is wide open for PC or WR. I wonder if this will be the first riding where PC and WRP unite to defeat the NDP? Might be too early for that open expression yet.