Alberta general election, 2004

The Alberta general election of 2004 was the twenty-sixth general election for the province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on November 22, 2004 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.

The election was called on October 25, 2004. Premier Ralph Klein decided to go to the polls earlier than the legislated deadline of March 2006. This election was held in conjunction with the Alberta Senate nominee election, 2004.

When the election was called, it was expected to be anticlimactic, with Klein cruising to his fourth straight majority, the tenth for his Progressive Conservative Party.

Shortly after the drop of the writs, Klein's mother died and all parties suspended their campaigns for several days. After the campaign resumed, Klein avoided making any policy announcements and attended few events. One commentator called it "Kleinfeld: the campaign about nothing" (a reference to the television sitcom "Seinfeld"). The Liberal Party, which had hoped to hold onto the five seats it had and regain the two seats that it had lost to resignations, began to pick up momentum and became far more optimistic.

In the end, the Conservatives were re-elected, despite losing 11 seats and 15% of the popular vote. The Liberals more than doubled their seats by electing 17 MLA's on election night while dominating Edmonton, and making strong inroads in Calgary. The Alberta New Democrats (NDP) held on to their two seats and gained two more, all in Edmonton. The Conservatives swept rural Alberta except for one seat that went to the Alberta Alliance, which placed second in a number of rural ridings. The Green Party gained in the popular vote, jumping from 0.3% in the 2001 election to 2.8%, and placed third in some places. Also placing second in the riding of Drayton Valley-Calmar ahead of the liberals, It was unable to win any seats, however. Social Credit placed third in a number of ridings, and its leader tied for second in Rocky Mountain House. The Conservative, Liberal and NDP leaders all easily held onto their own seats.

Election night summary

Overall voter turnout was 46.80% [ [http://www.electionsalberta.ab.ca/Public%20Website/635.htm 2004 General Election ] ]

Names in bold indicate party leaders and cabinet ministers.

Northern Alberta

-
rowspan=3 bgcolor=whitesmoke| Athabasca-Redwater
rowspan=3
Denis Ducharme
3,621|
Lloyd Mildon
797|
Denise Ogonoski
312|
Shane Gervais
955||||
Guy C. Boutilier
4,429|
Russell W. Collicott
1,800|
Dave Malka
460|
Eugene Eklund
224|||
Reginald Normore (Ind.)
94
Gordon Graydon
4,348|
Cibylla Rakestraw
1,677|
Jerry Macdonald
972|
John Hilton-O'Brien
547|
Allan Webber
348||
Pearl Calahasen
3,894|
Jonathan Pleckaitis
530|
Doris Bannister
354|
Valerie Rahn
977|
Ian Hopfe
254||
Janis Tarchuk
4,236|
Ian McDougall
1,649|
Melissa Cambridge
468|
Bob Argent
476|
Chris Foote
1,205
|
Luke Ouellette
-
bgcolor=whitesmoke|Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills
Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
Richard Marz
7,277|
Tony Vonesch
1,336|
Christopher Davies
257|
Gordon Quantz
2,021|
Sarah Henckel-Sutmoller
469|
Brian Vasseur (Sep. Pty.)
746
Myrna Kissick (Soc. Cred.)
143
Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
Richard Marz
-
bgcolor=whitesmoke|Red Deer North
Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
Mary Anne Jablonski
3,736|
Norm McDougall
2,640|
Steven Bedford
430|
Rand Sisson
1,660|
Colin Fisher
244|

Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
Mary Anne Jablonski
-
bgcolor=whitesmoke|Red Deer South
Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
Victor Doerksen
5,371|
Walter Kubanek
4,073|
Jeff Sloychuk
836|
Patti Argent
1,418|
|
Judy Milne (Sep. Pty.)
261
Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
Victor Doerksen
-
bgcolor=whitesmoke|Rocky Mountain House
Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
Ty Lund
5,773|
Susan M. Scott
1,267|
Anthony Jones
300|
Ed Wilhite
810|
Jennifer Isaac
337|
Lavern J. Ahlstrom (Soc. Cred.)
1,267
Bruce Hutton (Sep. Pty.)
505
Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
Ty Lund
-
bgcolor=whitesmoke|Stony Plain
Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
Fred Lindsay
5,644|
Bill Fraser
3,402|
Ruth Yanor
1,375|
Marilyn Burns
1,878|
|
Henry Neumann (Soc. Cred.)
245
Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
Stan Woloshyn
-
bgcolor=whitesmoke|West Yellowhead
Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
Ivan Strang
3,769|
Rob Jolly
1,682|
Barry Madsen
1,783|
Earl Cunningham
615|
Monika Schaefer
360|

Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
Ivan Strang
-
bgcolor=whitesmoke|Whitecourt-Ste. Anne
Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
George VanderBurg
5,071|
George Higgerty
1,219|
Leah Redmond
996|
David Dow
2,333|
|

Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
George VanderBurg

East Central Alberta

-
bgcolor=whitesmoke|Battle River-Wainwright
Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
Doug Griffiths
6,409|
Gordon Rogers
1,069|
Len Legault
616|
Orest Werzak
1,440|
|
Robin Skitteral (Soc. Cred.)
319
Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
Doug Griffiths
-
bgcolor=whitesmoke|Drumheller-Stettler
Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
Shirley McClellan
6,770|
|
Richard Bough
890|
Dave France
1,413|
|
Eileen Walker (Alberta Pty.)
616
Dave Carnegie (Separation)
465
Mary-Lou Kloppenburg (Soc. Cred.)
279
Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
Shirley McClellan
-
bgcolor=whitesmoke|Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville
Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
Ed Stelmach
6,160|
Peter Schneider
3,160|
Wes Buyarski
1,633|
Byron King
1,411|
|
Mark R. Patterson (Soc. Cred.)
379
Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
Ed Stelmach
-
rowspan=3 bgcolor=whitesmoke|Lacombe-Ponoka
rowspan=3 Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
rowspan=3|Ray Prins
6,919
rowspan=3
rowspan=3|Glen Simmonds
2,218
rowspan=3
rowspan=3|Jim Graves
1,124
rowspan=3
rowspan=3|Ed Klop
2,349
rowspan=3
rowspan=3|
rowspan=3
rowspan=3|Teena Cormack (Soc. Cred.)
467
Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
|Judy Gordon
-
bgcolor=whitesmoke colspan=2 align=center|"merged district"
-
Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
Halvar Jonson
-
bgcolor=whitesmoke|Leduc-Beaumont-Devon
Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
George Rogers
6,809|
Joyce Assen
3,425|
Katie Oppen
904|
Dave Dalke
1,140|
Stephen Lindop
381|
Karen Richert (Soc. Cred.)
249
Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
Albert Klapstein
-
bgcolor=whitesmoke|Vermilion-Lloydminster
Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
Lloyd Snelgrove
5,464|
Patricia Thomas
706|
Ray Stone
553|
David Benoit
2,437|
|

Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
Lloyd Snelgrove
-
bgcolor=whitesmoke|Wetaskiwin-Camrose
Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
LeRoy Johnson
6,177|
Keith Elliott
2,713|
Clay Lawson
908|
Dale Trefz
1,193|
|
Janice H. Wolter (Soc. Cred.)
309
Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
LeRoy Johnson

Central Edmonton

-
bgcolor=whitesmoke|Edmonton Beverly Clareview|
Julius Yankowsky
3,059|
Sam Parmar
1,166
Canadian_politics/party_colours/NDP
Ray Martin
5,268|
Phil Gamache
457|
Benoit Couture
141|
Ken Shipka (Soc. Cred.)
283
Canadian_politics/party_colours/Progressive Conservatives
Julius Yankowsky
-
bgcolor=whitesmoke|Edmonton Centre|
Don Weideman
2,622
Canadian_politics/party_colours/Liberal
Laurie Blakeman
6,236|
Mary Elizabeth Archer
1,538|
Tony Caterina
264|
David J. Parker
336|
Linda Clements (Soc. Cred.)
111
Canadian_politics/party_colours/Liberal
Laurie Blakeman
-
bgcolor=whitesmoke|Edmonton Glenora|
Drew Hutton
3,758
Canadian_politics/party_colours/Liberal
Bruce Miller
4,610|
Larry Booi
4,059|
Blaine Currie
307|
Peter Johnston
272|
Walter Schachenhofer (Soc. Cred.)
112
Canadian_politics/party_colours/Progressive Conservatives
Drew Hutton
-
bgcolor=whitesmoke|Edmonton Gold Bar|
Manjit Dhaliwal
2,574
Canadian_politics/party_colours/Liberal
Hugh MacDonald
8,794|
Keith Turnbull
1,966|
Delmar Hunt
538|
|
Dave Dowling (Ind.)
167
Canadian_politics/party_colours/Liberal
Hugh MacDonald
-
bgcolor=whitesmoke|Edmonton Highlands-Norwood|
Terry Martiniuk
2,209|
Jason Manzevich
1,035
Canadian_politics/party_colours/NDP
Brian Mason
6,053|
Ray Loyer
315|
|
Dale W. Ferris (Ind.)
66
Canadian_politics/party_colours/NDP
Brian Mason
-
bgcolor=whitesmoke|Edmonton Mill Creek
Canadian_politics/party_colours/Progressive Conservatives
Gene Zwozdesky
5,071|
Aman Gill
4,286|
Nathan Taylor
1,709|
Robert Alford
523|
Eric Steiglitz
386|
Cameron Johnson (Ind.)
72
Canadian_politics/party_colours/Progressive Conservatives
Gene Zwozdesky
-
bgcolor=whitesmoke|Edmonton Mill Woods|
Naresh Bhardwaj
2,989
Canadian_politics/party_colours/Liberal
Weslyn Mather
5,014|
Lloyd Nelson
1,565|
Charles Relland
816|
|
Naomi Rankin (Communist)
42
Canadian_politics/party_colours/Liberal
Don Massey
-
bgcolor=whitesmoke|Edmonton Riverview|
Fred Horne
3,571
Canadian_politics/party_colours/Liberal
Kevin Taft
10,279|
Donna Martyn
1,053|
David Edgar
315|
John Lackey
355|
Dave W. Power (Soc. Cred.)
111
Canadian_politics/party_colours/Liberal
Kevin Taft
-
bgcolor=whitesmoke|Edmonton Rutherford|
Ian McClelland
4,173
Canadian_politics/party_colours/Liberal
Rick Miller
7,217|
George A. Slade
995|
R. J. (Bob) Ewart
516|
|
Anit Ashmore (Soc. Cred.)
210
Canadian_politics/party_colours/Progressive Conservatives
Ian McClelland
-
bgcolor=whitesmoke|Edmonton Strathcona|
Shannon Stubbs
2,256|
Steven Leard
1,850
Canadian_politics/party_colours/NDP
Raj Pannu
7,430|
Jeremy Burns
275|
Adrian Cole
287|
Kelly Graham (Soc. Cred.)
162
Canadian_politics/party_colours/NDP
Raj Pannu

Suburban Edmonton and Environs

-
bgcolor=whitesmoke|Edmonton Calder|
Brent Rathgeber
3,680|
Brad Smith
3,028
Canadian politics/party colours/NDP
David Eggen
4,055|
Vicki Kramer
526|
|

Canadian politics/party colours/Progressive Conservatives
Brent Rathgeber
-
rowspan=2 bgcolor=whitesmoke|Edmonton Castle Downs

Timeline

March 27, 2004 - Kevin Taft becomes leader of the Alberta Liberals.

June 29, 2004 - Gary Masyk crosses the floor from the Progressive Conservatives to the Alberta Alliance.

July 13, 2004 - Raj Pannu resigns as leader of the Alberta New Democrats. Brian Mason is appointed interim leader.

September 9, 2004 - Alberta Alliance kicked off five-city "I Blame Ralph" tour in Edmonton.
Ralph Klein announces Senate Election

September 18, 2004 - Brian Mason formally becomes leader of the Alberta New Democrats.

October 25, 2004 - At the request of Premier Ralph Klein, Lieutenant-Governor Lois Hole dissolves the legislature and sets the election day for November 22.

October 28, 2004 - Premier Klein is harshly criticized by opposition parties and activist groups after he claims that protestors on Alberta's Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) who had heckled him did not look severely disabled.

October 31, 2004 - Premier Klein's mother, Florence Gray dies at the age of 80 following a year-long illness. All major parties announce they will suspend their provincial campaigns while the premier mourns.

November 4, 2004 - Global Television re-iterates that they will not invite Alberta Alliance leader Randy Thorsteinson to their leaders debate, because his party did not elect any members in the previous election and their sole MLA crossed the floor. The decision sparks anger amongst Alliance members and even disappoints the other three leaders.

November 8, 2004 - Close of nomination's and the Global television leaders debate involving Klein, Taft and Mason.

November 13, 2004 - NDP leader Mason releases a brochure entitled "Health Care for Dummies" in an effort to mock the premier's reluctance to discuss health care in detail during the campaign.

November 18, 2004 - Advance polling stations open.

November 19, 2004, - Advance polling stations open, and Students across the province vote in Alberta Student Vote, 2004.

November 20, 2004 - Advance polling stations open.

November 22, 2004 - Voting day for the 26th Alberta general election.
* 8:00 p.m. local time: Polls close (03:00, November 23 UTC)
* 8:36 p.m.: CBC projects a PC majority (03:36, November 23 UTC)

December 9, 2004 - The Court of Queen's Bench rules that Chris Kibermanis (Lib.) won the election in Edmonton Castle Downs by three votes, upholding the result of the initial, election-night result. The PC candidate, Thomas Lukaszuk, appealed to the Alberta Court of Appeal.

January 24, 2005 - The Alberta Court of Appeal rules that Lukaszuk won the election in Edmonton Castle Downs by three votes, overturning the result of the first vote-count, which had given the seat to Kibermanis of the Liberals. Kibermanis accepted defeat and did not appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada.

Poll numbers

*Ipsos-Reid, 2004-10-29: PC 50%, Lib 26%, NDP 10%, AAP 9%, Green 4%
*COMPAS Inc. / Calgary Herald, 2004-11-3, 2004-11-4: PC 61%, Lib 19%, NDP 16%, Green 3%, Separation 1%, Other 1%. Interestingly, the pollsters only prompted for the three "major" parties yet Green and Separation showed up over 1% in the results while the Alliance, which is contesting every riding and holds a seat in the legislature, did not. [http://www.compas.ca/data/041108-2004AlbertaElection-E.pdf]
*Cameron Strategy Inc. / Global News / Calgary Herald, 2004-11-8-11-16: PC 47%, Lib 21%, NDP 11%, AAP 9%, Green 5%
*Ipsos-Reid, 2004-11-12-11-17: PC 44%, Lib 29%, NDP 12%, AAP 9%, Green 4% (800 adults, MoE 3.5%)

References

External links

* [http://www.electionsalberta.ab.ca/welcome.html Elections Alberta]
* [http://www.assembly.ab.ca Alberta Legislative Assembly]
* [http://www.altaebc.ab.ca/finalreport.html Final Report of the Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission]
* [http://www.altaebc.ab.ca/maps.html#appGfinal Riding maps (2003 representation)]

Media coverage

* [http://www.nodice.ca/elections/alberta/2004.php Nodice.ca - Alberta Provincial Election 2004]
* [http://www.cbc.ca/albertavotes2004/ CBC Coverage: Alberta Votes 2004]

Candidates

* [http://www.electionsalberta.ab.ca/wheretovote/index.cfm?PAGE=21 Elections Alberta Candidates Info]
* [http://www.albertapc.ab.ca/public/custom/constituency/candidate.cfm PC candidates]
* [http://www.albertaliberal.com/index.php/alp/content/C47 Liberal candidates]
* [http://www.albertandp.ca/Candidates/index.cfm NDP candidates]
* [http://www.albertaalliance.ca/candidates/ Alberta Alliance candidates]
* [http://www.albertagreens.ca/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=19 Green candidates]
* [http://www.socialcredit.com/candidates.htm Social Credit candidates]
* [http://www.separationalberta.com/ Separation Party]