1989 Alberta general election
The 1989 Alberta general election was the twenty-second general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 20, 1989, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.
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83 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta 42 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Turnout | 53.60% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Many political observers were surprised by the early election call as less than three years had passed since the previous election. Premier Don Getty, in his second election as Progressive Conservative Party leader, led it to its sixth consecutive term in government. Despite losing a significant share of the popular vote, the PC's benefited from a split vote between the two main opponents Liberals and NDP and sustained a net loss of only two seats in the legislature. Most notably, the premier lost his own seat of Edmonton-Whitemud to Liberal candidate Percy Wickman. The PC's were reduced to just two seats in Edmonton, however despite their losses in urban areas they remained largely dominant in Calgary while their losses were somewhat offset by gains in rural areas, notably at the expense of the moribund Representative Party. Getty himself would quickly return to the Legislature by winning a by-election in a safe rural seat.
The New Democratic Party led by Ray Martin largely held its share of the popular vote, with its gains being balanced by its losses and the party left with the same number of seats (16) as in the previous in the legislature.
The Liberal Party, under new leader Laurence Decore, was the principal beneficiary of the voters' continuing distrust of Don Getty. The Liberals' share of the popular vote increased to over 28%, more than the NDP, but whereas the NDP continued to dominate in Edmonton the Liberal vote was more evenly distributed and the party's legislative caucus increased from four to only eight members.
The Representative Party, which had elected 2 candidates in the previous election, did not run any candidates in 1989 (although it remained registered). Leader Ray Speaker defected to the Progressive Conservatives, while Walt Buck retired. The party disbanded soon after the election.
Results
Overall voter turnout was 53.60%.[1]
| Party | Party leader | # of candidates |
Seats | Popular vote | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Elected | % Change | # | % | % Change | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Don Getty | 83 | 61 | 59 | -3.3% | 367,244 | 44.29% | -7.11% | |
| New Democrats | Ray Martin | 83 | 16 | 16 | - | 217,952 | 26.29% | -2.93% | |
| Liberal | Laurence Decore | 83 | 4 | 8 | +100% | 237,787 | 28.68% | +16.46% | |
| Social Credit | Harvey Yuill | 6 | * | - | * | 3,939 | 0.47% | * | |
| Independent | 10 | - | - | - | 2,162 | 0.26% | -0.60% | ||
| Communist | Norman Brudy | 2 | - | - | - | 85 | 0.01% | -0.02% | |
| Representative | 0 | 2 | - | -100% | 0 | 0.00% | - | ||
| Total | 267 | 83 | 83 | - | 829,189 | 100% | |||
| Source: Elections Alberta | |||||||||
Note:
* Party did not nominate candidates in the previous election.
Members elected
For complete electoral history, see individual districts
Note:
- 1 Nancy Betkowski later changed her last name to MacBeth
- 2 Pat Black later changed her last name to Nelson
See also
References
- Election Alberta (July 28, 2008). 2008 General Report (PDF). p. 158. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
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See also: Elections in Canada | |