Alberta Chief Electoral Officer Gordon McClure has confirmed a writ was issued on Wednesday to hold a byelection in Lethbridge-West to elect a new MLA. Election day has been scheduled for December 18. “Appointments have been made for the Returning Officer and Election Clerk in Lethbridge-West and they are ready to conduct voting in the electoral division,” said McClure in a Wednesday press release. The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has the authority under Section 9(1) and 47(1) of the Election Act to appoint returning officers and election clerks. Moreover, the CEO said these officers play a vital role in the fair, impartial management of Alberta elections and byelections. It said candidate nominations are now open and end on November 30 at 2 p.m. However, it said advance voting begins on December 10. The last day of advance voting is December 14. All voting places on election day on December 18 will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Unofficial results will be available after voting closes on election day. Official results will be announced on December 28 at 10 a.m. The CEO said Canadian citizens who are at least 18 years old or older on election day are eligible to vote if they are ordinary residents of Lethbridge-West. If people are unsure if they reside in Lethbridge-West, it said they can use the Where Do I Vote tool on Elections Alberta’s website to determine their eligibility.It said electors can register to vote online at voterlink.ab.ca until December 4 or by contacting Elections Alberta or the local returning office before December 7 at 4 p.m. Also, it said they can register to vote at any advance voting location in Lethbridge-West or at their assigned voting place on election day. Electors who are registered to vote at their current address do not need to do so again. To vote in the Lethbridge-West byelection, electors must prove their identity and current physical address. This can be done by providing one piece of government-issued photo identification, including their full names, current physical addresses, and photos; providing two pieces of ID containing their full names and one showing their current physical address; having another registered elector with identification who resides in their voting area vouch for them; or having an authorized signatory complete an attestation form.More than 50 different types of ID have been authorized by the CEO to be used as identification to vote. Voters can visit elections.ab.ca/voters/id-required-to-vote for a full list.Electors have 28 days to vote by special ballot effective Wednesday. Special ballots may be completed in the returning office, picked up by electors' designates, or sent to them anywhere in the world.In the event of a continuing Canada Post strike, electors choosing this voting option might need to consider an alternative method to return their ballot prior to 8 p.m. 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.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.There are 36,560 electors in Lethbridge-West. The percentage of voter turnout in the 2023 Alberta election for Lethbridge-West was 61.5% in comparison to the average of 60.5%.Lethbridge-West Returning Officer Stella Lukinski has assumed her role. 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) on 200 4 Ave. S #206 in Lethbridge. It is open on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and on voting days from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith admitted the government requested the lieutentant governor drop the writ for the Lethbridge-West byelection. “We’re proud of the work that UCP (United Conservative Party) MLA Nathan Neudorf (Lethbridge-East) has done for the people of Lethbridge-West since this seat was left vacant by the NDP on July 1, 2024,” said Smith. “We had been waiting to call this byelection with the expectation that the NDP leader would also be seeking a seat in the legislature this fall.” If two byelections were held at once, Smith said it would save Alberta taxpayers resources and support a higher voter turnout in the two ridings due to the buzz generated. Unfortunately, she said Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi has not made any indication he plans to seek a seat and appears to have no desire to sit in the legislature. Nenshi responded by saying he feels old because he has been at work for so long, but the government has called the byelection. “Why do you think they waited so long?” said Nenshi..Alberta NDP candidate Rob Miyashiro (Lethbridge-West) said he heard from people that the government waited so long because they wanted students to head back home for the holidays. While that is cynical and wrong, Nenshi said students and faculty at the University of Lethbridge should know advance polls are available and will inform them about how to vote. “Do not let them steal your vote,” he said. Former Alberta NDP MLA Shannon Phillips (Lethbridge-West) confirmed in June she would be resigning from her position, triggering the byelection..Alberta NDP MLA resigns, opens possible seat for Nenshi .Phillips was first elected MLA for Lethbridge-West in 2015. From 2015 to 2019, Phillips served as Alberta environment and parks minister. She said in an interview with the Globe and Mail her resignation will take effect July 1, admitting she felt “worn out by the polarization and disinformation infecting today’s politics.”Nenshi said in September Miyashiro would be the Alberta NDP's candidate for the byelection. The NDP nomination race’s turnout was 73%. Miyashiro would face off against the UCP candidate in the byelection, which has to happen before January 1.“I’m thrilled to announce Rob Miyashiro as the nominee for the Lethbridge-West byelection,” said Nenshi.The Alberta UCP confirmed in September nomination candidate John Middleton-Hope (Lethbridge-West) won the race to become the candidate for the byelection..Alberta UCP selects Lethbridge city councillor as Lethbridge-West byelection candidate .“With 29 years in law enforcement, time as a police chief, and service on Lethbridge City Council, he has the experience to deliver real results for Lethbridge-West,” said the UCP. .The UCP thanked nomination candidates Erin Leclerc and Shauna Gruninger (Lethbridge-West) for putting their names forward and for their dedication to improving Alberta. Additionally, it said it appreciated their commitment to it and Alberta.
