Could Alberta’s Smaller Parties Shift the Next Election?

Calgary residents often debate the political pulse of the province, and a look back at the 2023 provincial election offers a clear snapshot. While the provincial landscape boasts 87 electoral divisions, the Alberta Party, Green Party of Alberta, and Alberta Liberal Party together fielded candidates in only 75 of them. This means a full slate was not presented to voters across all ridings.

For Calgary, where voter engagement is always a hot topic, some areas saw particularly tight races. Both Calgary-Acadia and Calgary-Glenmore, for instance, were decided by fewer than 100 votes. Intriguingly, these two battleground ridings recorded higher voter turnouts than the provincial average of 59.5%.

Ultimately, the 2023 election results solidified a strong two-party system. The United Conservative Party secured 49 seats, while the Alberta New Democratic Party took 38, leaving no seats for the smaller parties. This dominance is further underscored by the fact that the UCP and NDP combined for 96.6 percent of all votes cast in 2023, a notable jump from their 87.6 percent share in 2019. It certainly paints a picture of concentrated political power in Alberta.