Provincial party leaders trade jabs over Lethbridge-West by-election

He explains that residents of Lethbridge are struggling to find family doctors, are worried about losing their pensions, and are trying to find affordable housing, adding that he believes the United Conservative Party (UCP) government is only making these things worse.

Nenshi also took a shot at the timing of the by-election. Advanced polls take place December 10-14 and the general voting day is December 18.

“Even though the Premier has cynically chosen to call a by-election just before Christmas, at the end of final exams, in the hopes that students and busy families won’t be able to vote, we know that’s not true,” says Nenshi. “We’ve been on the doors for months, and citizens have been clear. They deserve better.”

Regarding the timing of the announcement, Smith says she was waiting for the Alberta NDP to make its moves.

“We had been waiting to call this by-election with the expectation that the NDP leader would also be seeking a seat in the legislature this fall,” says Smith. “Having two by-elections at once would save Alberta taxpayers resources and would hopefully support a higher voter turnout in both ridings due to the buzz it would generate. Unfortunately, he has still not made any indication that he plans to seek a seat and given it has been 151 days, apparently has no desire to sit in the legislature.”

The premier, who is also the leader of the UCP, believes that now is the time for both ridings in Lethbridge to be unified under conservative representation.

“People in Lethbridge, like all Albertans, want their government to prioritize public safety, affordability, job creation and economic development, is committed to keeping taxes low, and who is ready to make the bold changes our health care system needs to improve services for Albertans,” says Smith.

Shannon Phillips had been the MLA for Lethbridge-West for around nine years but stepped down at the end of June this year.

The riding has not had an MLA for almost half of one year, but the office of Lethbridge-East MLA Nathan Neudorf has been working to take inquiries from the neighbouring constituency.

The by-election will pit the UCP’s John Middleton-Hope against Rob Miyashiro with the Alberta NDP.

The following information on the by-election was submitted to LNN by the Government of Alberta:

Key Dates

Candidate nominations are now open and end on November 30 at 2:00 pm.
Tuesday, December 10 – Advance voting begins.
Saturday, December 14 – Last day of advance voting.
Wednesday, December 18 – Election Day. All voting places will be open from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm.
Unofficial results will be available after voting closes on Election Day.
Official results will be announced on December 28, at 10:00 am.

Voter Eligibility

Canadian citizens who are at least 18 years of age or older on Election Day are eligible to vote if they are an ordinary resident of Lethbridge-West. If you are unsure if you reside in Lethbridge-West, use the “Where Do I Vote” tool on the Elections Alberta website to determine your eligibility.

Voter Registration

Electors may register to vote online at voterlink.ab.ca until December 4, or by contacting Elections Alberta or the local returning office before 4:00 pm on December 7. Electors can also register to vote at any advance voting location in Lethbridge-West or at their assigned voting place on Election Day. Electors who are already registered to vote at their current address do not need to register again.

Voter Identification

To vote in the Lethbridge-West by-election, electors must prove their identity and current physical address. There are many ways to do this, including:

Providing one piece of Government-issued photo ID, including the voter’s full name, current physical address, and a photo.
Providing two pieces of ID, both containing the voter’s full name and one showing their current physical address.
Having another registered elector with identification who resides in their voting area vouch for them.
Having an authorized signatory complete an attestation form.
More than 50 different types of identification have been authorized by the Chief Electoral Officer to be used as identification to vote. Voters may visit elections.ab.ca/voters/id-required-to-vote for a full list.

Special Ballots

Electors have 28 days to vote by Special Ballot beginning today. Special Ballots may be completed in the returning office, picked up by an elector’s designate, or sent to the elector anywhere in the world. Applications can be submitted online at elections.ab.ca. See Elections Alberta’s website for more information on deadlines for Special Ballots.

IMPORTANT: In the event of a continuing Canada Post strike, electors choosing this voting option may need to consider an alternative method to return their ballot prior to 8:00 pm on Election Day. Alternative options include a courier, dropping it off at the Lethbridge-West returning office, or dropping it off at Elections Alberta’s head office in Edmonton.

Where to Vote

Due to the Canada Post strike, Where to Vote cards will not be mailed to electors. During advance voting, voters can choose to vote at either advance voting location. On Election Day, voters must vote at their assigned voting place. Voting locations will be published on elections.ab.ca, and more information will follow on Elections Alberta’s website, social media, and local radio. Print advertisements will be published with voting locations in the Lethbridge Herald. Voters may contact Elections Alberta at 1-877-422-VOTE (8683) or the local returning office for assistance.

Electoral Division Information

There are 36,560 electors in Lethbridge-West. The percentage of voter turnout in the 2023 Provincial General Election for Lethbridge-West was 61.5% in comparison to the provincial voter turnout of 60.5%.

Returning Officer

The Returning Officer for Lethbridge-West is Stella Lukinski. The returning office can be contacted at 1.888.688.5808 or via email at ed72@elections.ab.ca.

The returning office is now open at:

Melcor Centre (Upper Level SE)
#236, 200 4th Ave S
Lethbridge, AB T1J 4C9

The returning office is open:

Weekdays from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm,
Saturdays from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, and
On voting days from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm.

Employment Opportunities

Election worker applications are now being accepted for advance vote and Election Day positions at elections.ab.ca.

For any questions regarding the Lethbridge-West by-election, visit elections.ab.ca, call 1-877-422-VOTE, or visit @ElectionsAB on social media.

Elections Alberta is an independent, non-partisan office of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta responsible for administering provincial elections, by-elections, and referenda.

by David Opinko

Provincial party leaders trade jabs over Lethbridge-West by-election

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