Glenn van Dijken will ride a blue United Conservative Party wave into the Legislature with premier-elect Jason Kenney, easily capturing the Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock riding with roughly 70 per cent of the popular vote.
van Dijken’s victory goes hand-in-hand with the UCP’s dominance at the polls as the party will form a majority government and appeared headed to claiming 63 of the 87 available seats with 55 per cent of the vote. The NDP were on track to win 24 seats, 30 less than they won in their 2015 victory, with roughly 32 per cent of the vote.
Interestingly, this will be the first time since the 1913 provincial election when only two parties (Liberals and Conservatives) sat in the Legislature.
"It's 28 days of going hard, but in all reality, this campaign started May 6, 2015. I think the vast majority of conservatives knew that we needed to get our house in order. We run on values we believe are going to build an Alberta that's strong and free and those values are essentially family values, individual freedoms, individual equality and individual responsibility and on those values we can all build a community together," said van Dijken at the constituency’s volunteer appreciation event at Memorial Hall Tuesday night.
"Thank you to the voters, for sure. It's the will of the people that's important."
Watching results come in on CBC April 16, Shania Christensen of Newbrook (right) reacts as a reporter refers to the former NDP government as an "accidental government," while Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock candidate Therese Taschuk looks on.
NDP candidate Therese Taschuk was well back in second place, having claimed around 18 per cent of the vote, while Alberta Party candidate, and R.F. Staples principal Wayne Rufiange, appeared headed to a third-place finish with 9.2 per cent of the vote.
"It is what it is," said Taschuk. "I want to congratulate my opponent on his victory tonight. While I am disappointed, I respect Albertans' choice in this election. Our team ran a great campaign, and I want to thank all of my wonderful volunteers and supporters who believed in me and helped me to get here."
Alberta Independence Party’s Buster Malcolm was at roughly 1.9 per cent, while Independent Brad Giroux had just over one per cent.
Getson wins in Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland
UCP candidate Shane Getson won the Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland riding.
Meanwhile in Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland, UCP candidate Shane Getson won the night having claimed 64.8 per cent of the vote as of 9:35 p.m. NDP Incumbent, and former ag minister, Oneil Carlier was running in second with 24 per cent of the vote, while Alberta Party candidate Donald McCargar was a distant third with 8.1 per cent of the vote.
Alberta Independence Party’s Gordon McMillan sat with two per cent of the vote and Darien Masse, for the Alberta Advantage Party, was in last with 1.34 per cent.
