Anam Kazim wins for NDP in Calgary-Glenmore after recount
CBC News | Posted: May 15, 2015 6:02 PM | Last Updated: May 16, 2015
Professional engineer was tied with Tory incumbent Linda Johnson in Alberta election
NDP's Anam Kazim won her riding of Calgary-Glenmore in the provincial election last week, according to a recount from Elections Alberta.
"It was a lot of suspense … so I am glad about the outcome," she said.
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Progressive Conservative incumbent Linda Johnson and Kazim had ended up with exactly 7,015 votes with all 94 polls reporting after the May 5 vote.
"I did not anticipate that, so that was an excitement in its own," said Kazim.
But after the recount Kazim had 7,018 votes and Johnson 7,012.
Judicial review possible
Johnson still has the right to challenge the result by requesting a judicial review, an option she says she and her party are considering.
Kazim can't be sure yet of a final outcome.
"There is still a chance the results will go to the judicial review, so for now I am just seeing myself as the winner for today, because these are not the final results as we don't know what is going to happen next." said Kazim, adding it would take at least a couple of weeks to finalize results if a review is requested.
The recounted tally means the NDP won 54 seats in the election while the Wildrose won 21, the Progressive Conservatives 10, and the Liberals and Alberta Party one each.
Kazim has a master's degree in chemical-environmental engineering, but said she can't wait to hear the final results so she can get to work as a politician.
"It's going to be a steep learning curve, but at the same time I'm looking forward to be the representative of the people of the Calgary-Glenmore riding," she said. "I'm happy I get the chance to work with Rachel Notley, and be a representative of the NDP."
Results stand after other recounts
Recounts affirmed the election night results in several other ridings.
In Calgary-Cross, the NDP's Ricardo Miranda defeated Calgary's former police chief Rick Hanson, who was running under the Tory banner, by 4,602 votes to 4,501.
Just 129 votes put PC candidate Richard Gotfried over the NDP's Jill Moreton in Calgary-Fish Creek.
And in the southern rural riding of Little Bow, Wildrose candidate David Schneider beat Tory Ian Donovan — who had crossed the floor to the PCs last fall — by 4,803 to 4,793.