As I first mentioned in a previous post, the election of municipal politicians as Members of the Legislative Assembly in the recent provincial election has triggered a handful of municipal by-elections across Alberta. Most of these municipalities have now set dates for by-elections to fill these vacant positions.
June 11 – A by-election in Division 1 of the County of Grande Prairie has attracted five candidates. Alvin McEwen, Andrew Muise, DJ Golden, Greg Moody, and Harold Bulford have put their names forward to replace new Grande Prairie-Smoky Progressive Conservative MLA Everett McDonald. As an Independent candidate in the recent provincial election, Mr. Muise earned 209 votes.
June 19 – The election of Town of Canmore Mayor Ron Casey as the PC MLA for Banff-Cochrane has triggered a mayoral by-election, and subsequently a by-election to replace two councillors who are candidates in the mayoral contest. Councillors John Borrowman and Ed Russell, and former Councillor Pam Hilstad are seeking the mayor’s chair.
Contesting the two vacant council positions in the Town of Canmore are Jason Best, Karen Greene, Brian Hyland, former Canadian Rockies School Trustee Shirley Ketterer, Sean Krausert, Occupy Calgary participant James Louden, current Canadian Rockies School Trustee Vi Sandford, recent PC nomination candidate Rob Seeley, and Victor Zablotni. The candidate in this contest with the most unique background may be Mr. Krausert, an improv actor and former lawyer who also worked as an educator in Sierra Leone, where he helped rehabilitate former child soldiers through a theatre program.
June 25 is the super Monday of municipal by-elections with five separate votes happening across the province.
In Strathcona County, Bev Williamson, Clinton Alexander, Jen Heaton, and Alec Babich will contest the by-election in Ward 5 to replace new Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville MLA Jacquie Fenske. A man by the name of Alec Babich was arrested and charged with mischief by RCMP last year after a suspicious package was left on a reception desk at Strathcona County’s main office last year.
June 25 – The two vacancies in District 1 of Wood Buffalo’s municipal council were the result of two councillors, Mike Allen and Don Scott, having been elected as MLA’s in Fort McMurray’s two constituencies. An extraordinary fourteen candidates have stepped forward to run in the by-election. Candidates include Chris Alton, local radio host James Anthony, Tyran Ault, past council candidate Byron Bailey, Christine Burton, Valance Howard, Shafique Khan, former Catholic School Board Trustee Keith McGrath, John Mulhall, Bill Nahirney, past mayoral candidate Joe “The Plumber” Nebesny, local pastor Robert Parmenter, Colleen Tatum, and Matt Youens.
Earlier this year, Mr. McGrath considered seeking for the Wildrose Party nomination in Fort McMurray-Conklin, but eventually declined to seek the nomination.
A by-election to fill a vacancy on the Fort McMurray Public School Board will be held on the same day. Trustee Stephanie Blackler, who was first elected in 2010, has decided to move home to Newfoundland to pursue business opportunities. Three candidates have entered the race, including former trustee Glenn Doonanco, Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union Local vice-president Stephen Drover, and school council activist Munira Manji.
June 25 – In the Village of Sterling, candidates Jonathan Bikman, Ronald Bore, and Coralee Leeson have stepped forward to seek the mayoralty, which was made vacant when Wildrose candidate Gary Bikman was elected as the MLA for Cardston-Taber-Warner. Jonathan Bikman is presumably a relative of Gary Bikman, and is listed as Vice-President Operations of Chopstix (Gary Bikman is President).
June 25 – Cal Busby, Herb Smerychynski, and Jim Wiese are standing to replace former Westlock County councillor Maureen Kubinec, who was elected as the PC MLA for Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock.
The Town of Rimbey may hold a by-election in July to replace former councillor Joe Anglin, who is now the Wildrose MLA for Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre.
