Alberta NDP provincial president Peggy Wright is the first candidate to declare plans to enter the NDP nomination in Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview. Her announcement on Facebook comes only days after third-term MLA Deron Bilous announced he will not seek re-election.
Wright has served as the party’s provincial president since 2016 and previously served as president of the NDP constituency association in Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview, where she was involved in Bilous’ election campaigns. She previously served as president of the NDP’s youth wing.
And Wright has deep connections to the NDP.
Her father Keith Wright helped Grant Notley found the Youth Cooperative Commonwealth Federation Club at the U of A in the 1959, which was nicknamed “Notley’s Motley Crew,” according to Howard Leeson’s biography of Notley. Her father ran as the CCF candidate in Strathcona-Centre in the 1959 provincial election and was elected president of the national NDP youth wing in 1961.
Wright’s mother, Kathleen Wright, was a longtime NDP activist and stood as a provincial candidate in Edmonton-Gold Bar in 1979 and Edmonton-Avonmore in 1982.
They were both awarded lifetime memberships in the party in 2018.
The NDP had held Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview since 2012, when Bilous was first election, and past NDP MLAs for the riding include Ray Martin (2004-2008) and Ed Ewasiuk (1986-1993).
UPDATE: The NDP have scheduled a nomination meeting in Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview on September 14.
Other nomination updates:
- MLA Shannon Phillips will seek the NDP nomination to run for re-election in Lethbridge-West at a September 11 nomination meeting.
- MLA Tyler Shandro acclaimed as the United Conservative Party candidate in Calgary-Acadia.
- MLA Martin Long acclaimed as UCP candidate in West Yellowhead.
- MLA Dave Hanson announced plans to seek the UCP nomination and run for re-election in Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul.
- Tabatha Wallace is seeking the NDP nomination in Maskwacis-Wetaskiwin.
Upcoming nomination meetings
- August 18 – Red Deer-North UCP
- September 7 – Calgary-North West NDP
- September 10 – Edmonton-Ellerslie NDP
- September 11 – Lethbridge-West NDP
- September 14 – Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview NDP
- September 15 – Calgary-Mountain View NDP
- September 17 – Edmonton-Gold Bar NDP
I am tracking candidates and building a list of people running for nominations to run in Alberta’s next provincial election. If you know of someone running, please post a comment below or email me at david.cournoyer@gmail.com. Thank you!
(I am launching a Substack. Sign up at Daveberta Substack)
