The United Conservative Party is projected to form a majority government in Alberta, May 29, 2023. (Photo: Oasisamuel | Dreamstime.com)

By David Opinko

UCP projected to form majority government in Alberta

May 29, 2023 | 11:13 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The United Conservative Party (UCP) is set to form a second consecutive majority government.

With over 70 per cent of polling stations reporting results at the time of publication, Elections Alberta said the UCP is leading in 52 ridings across the province.

Earlier in the evening, UCP leader Danielle Smith was projected by the Canadian Press to hold on to her seat in Brooks-Medicine Hat.

Smith, as expected, captured almost all seats outside the province’s two major cities. It lost Edmonton, also as predicted, but held on to just enough support in battleground Calgary to secure a majority in the 87-seat legislature.

The UCP had claimed about 50 seats but a final tally was unknown late into the evening given close races in Calgary.

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It was an election night crippled by slow reporting from Elections Alberta. Only a small fraction of results were available 90 minutes after polls closed and a UCP win wasn’t called for another 90 minutes after that.

Smith easily won her seat in Brooks-Medicine Hat.

It was the second victory in seven months for Smith, 52. She had been out of politics for seven years, working mainly as Calgary-based radio talk-show host and political pundit.

NDP Leader Rachel Notley won her seat in Edmonton-Strathcona for the fifth time.

But the loss is expected to raise questions about whether the 59-year-old daughter of former Alberta NDP leader Grant Notley has taken the party as far as she can.

Support for third parties, such as the centrist Alberta Party, fell away as voters concentrated on either supporting or defeating the two main contenders.

The UCP had a strong showing in southern Alberta with several local candidates who are projected to win seats. That includes Nathan Neudorf in Lethbridge-East, Grant Hunter in Taber-Warner, Chelsae Petrovic in Livingstone-Macleod, Joseph Schow and Cardston-Siksika, and Justin Wright in Cypress-Medicine Hat.

The Canadian Press called the Lethbridge-West race in favour of Shannon Phillips with the NDP.

At the time of publication, all of these results are considered to be unofficial.

Full results are available on the Elections Alberta website.

Full election coverage: AB Votes 2023

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