Wayne Rufiange didn’t win a seat in last week’s election, but it hasn’t turned him off the idea of running again.
The R.F. Staples School principal and Alberta Party candidate for the April 16 provincial election finished third with 9.1 per cent of the vote, behind the United Conservative Party’s Glenn van Dijken and the New Democratic Party’s Therese Taschuk.
“Overall, of course I’m disappointed, nobody gets in it to lose, but all things being equal and coming in at the point that I did and working with a party that was new to this area, I think I was very happy with building up a following where people were listening to my message and listening to the policies of the Alberta Party. I think I made some headway that way,” said Rufiange, who was also working full-time during the campaign.
The Alberta Party was polling around the 10 per cent mark provincially and Rufiange was glad to be in the ballpark. The Party itself finished with 9.1 per cent of the vote.
Looking at the polls, Rufiange had a lot of support from his home town of Dapp and actually won the student vote at Pembina North Community School, which he was happy to see as it bodes well for the future.
“People have to know who I am and at this point there just wasn’t enough opportunity,” he said.
Rufiange said he is committed to forming a constituency association in the riding to further the Alberta Party’s future chances.
“If you ask me today, I will run in the next election for the Alberta Party, but four years is four years and education is my passion too and you never know where that’s going to take me and my own personal situation may be different in four years,” he said.
“I enjoyed talking to people and listening to their concerns, so there’s no sour taste in my mouth.”
Rufiange said he was particularly impressed with the voter turnout both locally and across the province.
In Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock close to 77 per cent voted while 71 per cent of eligible voters cast their ballots across the province.
“I was very proud of Alberta for getting out to vote.”
