Calgary-West elects PC Party's Mike Ellis

Calgary-West voters have once again selected the Progressive Conservative Party to represent them in legislature.

• Tories sweep Alberta byelections

Mike Ellis, a 12-year veteran of the Calgary Police Service, took the riding with an unofficial total of 4,843 votes over the WildroseParty's 4,528 votes.

The Liberals, NDP and Alberta Party all received less than 1,000 votes each.

The riding has been held almost consistently by the Progressive Conservative Party since 1967except when voters sent the Liberal Party candidate to the legislature in 1993 for four years.

There had been speculation over whether the Wildrose Party could seize on voter dissatisfaction to take the seat.

'Tonight didn't turn out as we hoped'

However, WildroseParty Leader Danielle Smith conceded the party's defeat at aspeech at candidate Sheila Taylor's headquarters.

"Tonight didn't turn out as we hoped," Smith said, adding it looks as if Albertans decided to give the PC Party one last chance.

Smith wrapped up the short concession speech by saying she still thinks the party is on an upswing.

She is scheduled to speak with the media in a press conference Tuesday morning in Calgary.

Sheila Taylor, who resigned her role as trustee for the Calgary Board of Education to run in the byelection, said she did not regret the decision to run and plans to focus on spending time with her family.