Calgary-Lougheed byelection called for Dec. 14

Riding became vacant when MLA Dave Rodney stepped aside for new UCP Leader Jason Kenney to run

Image | Alta UCP Leadership 20171028

Caption: Jason Kenney celebrates his victory as the first leader of Alberta's United Conservative Party on Oct. 28. He will get the chance to contest a seat in legislature in a byelection on Dec. 14. (Jeff McIntosh/Canadian Press)

United Conservative Leader Jason Kenney is getting his chance to gain a seat in the Alberta Legislature.
Premier Rachel Notley has called a byelection(external link) in the constituency of Calgary-Lougheed for Dec. 14.
The riding has been vacant since Nov. 1 when United Conservative member of the legislature Dave Rodney resigned to give Kenney a chance to win a seat.
Earlier this week, Kenney was acclaimed as his party's candidate in the constituency.
Kenney is a former federal Conservative cabinet minister who successfully merged Alberta's Wildrose and Progressive Conservative parties this year.
He won a vote last month to become leader of the new party.
Alberta Liberal Leader David Khan, who also has not been elected to the Legislature, has not yet said whether he will take on Kenney for the Calgary-Lougheed seat.
Dr. Phillip van der Merwe is the sole candidate for the NDP nomination in the riding and is expected to be acclaimed this weekend.