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Elections

Alberta elections by the numbers

Albertans are heading to the polls in May. Here are some quick facts about the parties, the candidates and elections past.
A yellow sign alerting people to where a polling station is.
Albertans are heading to the polls this spring. (CBC)

The legislature:

  • Number of MLAs:87
  • Number of MLAs by party: 72 Progressive Conservatives, 5 Wildrose, 5 Liberals, 4 NDP, 1 independent
  • Number of MLAs who are not running again: 25

The Wildrose floor-crossers:

  • Number of Wildrose MLAs who crossed to the PCs: 11
  • Number who are retiring: 3 (Rob Anderson, Bruce Rowe, Jason Hale)
  • Number who lost their PC nominations: 3 (Danielle Smith, Gary Bikman, Rod Fox)
  • Number running againas Tories: 5 (Kerry Towle, Ian Donovan, Jeff Wilson, Bruce McAllister, Blake Pederson)

Date party leaders were elected/appointed:

  • Green Party leader Janet Keeping: September 2012
  • Alberta Party leader Greg Clark: Sept. 21, 2013
  • Progressive Conservative leader Jim Prentice: Sept. 6, 2014
  • NDP leader Rachel Notley: Oct. 18, 2014
  • Liberal leader David Swann: Feb. 1, 2015
  • Wildrose leader Brian Jean: March 28, 2015

Party facts:

  • Date the Progressive Conservatives won theirfirst majority government: Aug. 30, 1971
  • Number of consecutive PC majorities since then: 11

  • Year Albertans elected the largest number of Liberal MLAs: 39 of 56 seats in 1913
  • Year Albertans elected the largest number of Wildrose MLAs: 17 of 87 seats in 2012
  • Year Albertans elected the largest number of NDP MLAs: 16 of 83 seats in 1986 and 1989

  • Year the first NDP MLA was elected: 1971 (Grant Notley)
  • Year the first Wildrose MLA was elected: 2009 (Paul Hinman in Calgary-Glenmore byelection)

Election facts:

  • Voter turnout in 2012: 54.37%
  • Highest voter turnout: 81.8% in 1935
  • Lowest voter turnout: 40.59% in 2008

  • Cost of the 2008 election: $9,925,984
  • Cost of the 2012 election: $13,631,864