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.
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 again as 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 their first 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