On a late spring evening in Alberta, the province's voters closed the ballot box on a campaign shadowed by smoke, rising prices and strained clinics, and the old map of rural dominance and urban contest held much as it had before. The United Conservative Party, led by Danielle Smith, was projected to win a majority and a second mandate, its strength rooted in the farms and smaller towns that have long anchored it. Yet in Calgary, a city that has leaned conservative for generations, the New Democrats began to pry loose seats, a sign that even settled loyalties can shift when people weigh cost o
UCP Secures Majority in Alberta as NDP Makes Calgary Gains Despite Rural Dominance
Ten communities were under wildfire evacuation orders during the campaign, and displaced residents were given alternate ways to vote.
No winner had been called more than two hours after polls closed
Mark
The UCP won a majority, so why is Calgary the headline?
Mimi
Because it was supposed to be safe ground. The NDP made inroads there, and Nicholas Milliken lost Calgary-Currie to Janet Eremenko.
Luke
Worth being exact, though. The report says the NDP made inroads and several ministers faced stiff challenges. Only Milliken's loss is stated as a defeat.
Mark
How did rural Alberta shape the outcome?
Mimi
Polls suggested the UCP could count on around 40 seats from rural areas and smaller centres, and it needed 44 of 87.
Luke
That 40 is a polling expectation, not a result. The final seat count isn't in this report, which ends with more to come.
Mark
What about the campaign issues?
Mimi
Health care and the economy. Both leaders promised to keep public health care and build more primary care teams, and both promised to keep Alberta's low-tax status.
Luke
Notice how similar the pledges sound. The differences were in detail: a $1 billion tax cut for those earning over $60,000 versus an 11 per cent corporate rate.
Mark
And the wildfires?
Mimi
Ten communities were under evacuation orders, and Elections Alberta added evacuation as a reason for special ballots.
Luke
We don't know from this how many displaced people actually voted, or whether it affected turnout. Only the advance record of 758,540 is given.
Mark
What about Jennifer Johnson?
Mimi
Smith said she wouldn't sit in caucus, then spoke of redemption and second chances.
Luke
So her status is unresolved. No decision is reported.
Il Polso
- The vote count dragged past two hours after polls closed, leaving a tense wait while the hand count of ballots unfolded.
- The UCP reached a projected majority by holding rural Alberta almost whole, a cushion that steadied the party's second mandate.
- The NDP cut into Calgary's conservative core, toppling cabinet minister Nicholas Milliken and forcing several other ministers into close fights.
- Wildfire evacuations in ten communities pushed voters into special ballots and mobile stations, testing how democracy reaches displaced people.
- Jennifer Johnson's win in Lacombe-Ponoka leaves Smith's caucus promise unresolved, and the next weeks will show whether the premier's second chances hold.
On a late spring evening in Alberta, the province's voters closed the ballot box on a campaign shadowed by smoke, rising prices and strained clinics, and the old map of rural dominance and urban contest held much as it had before. The United Conservative Party, led by Danielle Smith, was projected to win a majority and a second mandate, its strength rooted in the farms and smaller towns that have long anchored it. Yet in Calgary, a city that has leaned conservative for generations, the New Democrats began to pry loose seats, a sign that even settled loyalties can shift when people weigh cost of living and care against trust. The result sets the province on familiar ground with a new question about how a fractured coalition will govern.
For more than two hours after Alberta's polls closed on Monday night, no winner was called. Elections Alberta said it was working as fast as it could, the hand count was underway, and it reported no problems, though it acknowledged that people were eager for results. When the call finally came, The Canadian Press projected a United Conservative Party majority under Danielle Smith.
The victory was built in rural Alberta, where the UCP kept near-total dominance and a cushion of roughly 40 seats toward the 44 needed in the 87-seat legislature. Smith held her own riding, and several cabinet ministers returned with her. The NDP, however, made real inroads in Calgary, a city long considered a conservative stronghold. Rachel Notley held Edmonton-Strathcona and her party looked poised to sweep the capital, while early results in several Calgary ridings outside the UCP's southern core looked promising for the opposition.
The pressure reached deep into cabinet. Nicholas Milliken lost Calgary-Currie to the NDP's Janet Eremenko, and other ministers and deputy premiers faced tough contests. The campaign itself was dominated by high prices, a shortage of family doctors and long emergency room waits. Both sides promised to protect public health care and expand primary care teams, while they split sharply on taxes, with the UCP pledging tax cuts and a referendum requirement and the NDP proposing a higher corporate rate to fund services.
Trust also shaped the race. Notley was viewed more favourably than her party, while Smith carried the weight of earlier comments about COVID-19 vaccine recipients and a mid-campaign ethics finding about pressure on a justice minister. Through it all, ten communities were under wildfire evacuation orders, and Elections Alberta opened special ballots, alternate voting sites and mobile stations so displaced residents could still take part. Advance voting had already set a record.
One question remains open. Jennifer Johnson won Lacombe-Ponoka for the UCP despite comments about transgender students that she apologized for during the campaign. Smith had said Johnson would not sit in caucus, then spoke of redemption and second chances. Where Johnson will sit has yet to be settled.
More than two hours after Alberta's polls closed at 8 p.m. on Monday, no winner had been called. Elections Alberta said it was moving as fast as it could, and that the hand count of the day's ballots was under way. It reported no problems, but acknowledged that people were keen to see results. When the call came, The Canadian Press projected a United Conservative Party majority government under Danielle Smith.
The win rested on rural Alberta. Smith held her own seat in Brooks-Medicine Hat, and several cabinet members were returned: Education Minister Adriana LaGrange, Agriculture Minister Nate Horner, Indigenous Relations Minister Rick Wilson, and Affordability and Utilities Minister Matt Jones. Polls had suggested the UCP would keep near total dominance in rural areas and smaller centres, a cushion of roughly 40 seats toward the 44 needed for a majority in the 87-seat legislature.
The NDP, however, made real inroads in Calgary, long a conservative stronghold. Rachel Notley won Edmonton-Strathcona for a fifth time, and her party was on track to sweep the capital. To form government, the NDP needed to flip 20 seats, which meant holding Edmonton, taking the majority in Calgary, finding some help in smaller cities, and defeating many UCP incumbents. Early results looked promising in several Calgary ridings outside the UCP's traditional core in the city's south end.
Cabinet ministers were among those under pressure. Nicholas Milliken, the minister responsible for mental health and addiction, lost Calgary-Currie to the NDP's Janet Eremenko. Justice Minister Tyler Shandro faced a stiff challenge in Calgary-Acadia, and Health Minister Jason Copping did in Calgary-Varsity. Smith's two deputy premiers, Kaycee Madu in Edmonton-South West and Nathan Neudorf in Lethbridge-East, were also in tough races. The UCP was seeking a second mandate, while the NDP was trying to regain the majority it lost in 2019, when the UCP under Jason Kenney won 63 seats to Notley's 24.
The month-long campaign was dominated by the economy and health care. Albertans have been dealing with high prices, a shortage of family doctors and long emergency room waits. Smith promised to keep Alberta Canada's lowest-tax jurisdiction, to introduce a law requiring a referendum before any personal or corporate income tax increase, and to cut taxes for people earning more than $60,000 a year, at a cost of $1 billion annually. The NDP also pledged to keep the lowest-tax status. It would end the small business tax and raise the corporate rate to 11 per cent from eight, which it said would fund health and education while balancing the books. It also promised legislation to counter UCP policies that raised utility, auto insurance, fee and tuition costs. Both leaders promised to protect the public health system and expand primary care teams, with physicians working alongside nurses and therapists, so more people can reach a family doctor and avoid crowding emergency wards.
Trust was a central issue. Polls showed Notley viewed more favourably than her party, and the reverse for Smith. Smith was dogged by earlier comments comparing people who took the COVID-19 vaccine to credulous followers of Adolf Hitler. Mid-campaign, the province's ethics commissioner reported that she had undermined the rule of law by pressuring her justice minister to end the criminal court case of a COVID-19 protester.
The campaign unfolded during a record-breaking wildfire spring, with ten communities under evacuation orders on Monday. Elections Alberta added evacuation as an eligible reason for a special ballot, opened alternate voting locations for displaced people, and placed mobile voting stations in evacuation centres. Turnout was expected to be strong: advance polls set a record of 758,540 votes, beating the previous record of more than 700,000 in 2019.
One result leaves an open question. Jennifer Johnson won Lacombe-Ponoka for the UCP after apologizing during the campaign for last year's comments comparing transgender students to feces. Smith had said Johnson would not sit in the UCP caucus, but later said, when asked about her, that she believes in redemption and second chances. Where Johnson sits is yet to be settled.
Citazioni salienti
We are not seeing any issues at this time, but understand that people are keen to see the results.— Elections Alberta statement
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