It doesn’t get closer than this. One vote is all that separates two-term MLA David Hanson and former MLA Scott Cyr in the United Conservative Party nomination race in Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul, according to sources close to the UCP.
UCP sources tell me that Cyr was one vote ahead after the local constituency association conducted a recount but that the party insisted in conducting another recount before announcing the results.
Former M.D. of Bonnyville reeve Greg Sawchuk is the third candidate in the race. The nomination vote took place at polling stations across the large rural riding on December 10, 11 and 12.
Hanson and Cyr were both elected as Wildrose Party MLAs in 2015, with Hanson representing Lac La Biche-St. Paul-Two Hills and Cyr representing Bonnyville-Cold Lake.
When the two ridings were merged before the 2019 election, Cyr opted to endorse Hanson for the UCP nomination and Hanson was re-elected by a huge margin in 2019.
Three years later Cyr changed his mind and challenged Hanson for the UCP nomination ahead of next year’s election.
According to a report by Lakeland Connect, the results of the vote believed “to be within as close as one or two votes.” The online news website also reported that a total of 723 votes were cast of roughly 1500 UCP members in the riding.
The NDP have nominated Caitlyn Blake as their candidate in the east central Alberta riding.
With less than six months until the next election, the Alberta NDP have nominated candidates in 68 of Alberta’s 87 ridings. The UCP have candidates named in 48 ridings and the Green Party has 23 candidates. The Alberta Party has nominated 3 candidates and the Liberal Party has one.
Here are the scheduled upcoming nomination votes:
- December 17 – Calgary-North NDP
- December 17 – Chestermere-Strathmore UCP
- December 20 – Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview UCP
I am building a list of candidates running for party nominations, so if you are seeking a nomination and would like you name added to the list please let me know. Thanks!
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