Alberta’s Progressive Conservatives rolled to a 12th consecutive election victory Monday night, defying most polls and leaving the upstart Wildrose Alliance in official opposition.
The PCs had 62 seats at press time April 23. Wildrose had 17 and the New Democrats and Liberals were showing four seats each. A total of 44 seats are needed for a majority.
Rural southern Alberta voted Wildrose across a wide swath, leading political scientist Roger Epp of the University of Alberta to speculate on a widening rural-urban split within a province that is becoming increasingly urbanized.
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“It’s clear that Wildrose is the party of choice outside of Calgary, in southern Alberta,” he said.
“It’s now a mostly rural, mostly southern caucus” for Wildrose, he added. “Maybe there’s a kind of kickback or something out of some of the rural areas.”
Premier Alison Redford, who won the leadership of the party in a contested race late last year, said this election marked a re-engagement among Alberta voters in the political process.
Voter turnout was reported to be much higher than in the last election, when they lagged at 40.6 percent, but exact voter turnout percentage was not available at press time.
In her concession speech, Wildrose leader Danielle Smith acknowledged that Alberta voters may need more time to consider the Wildrose option.
“Today I stand at the helm of the official opposition. I’m sorry it didn’t end the way we all dreamed,” said Smith.
