NDP win the Lethbridge-West byelection

The Lethbridge-West seat, left vacant after NDP MLA Shannon Phillips resigned in July, has been reclaimed by the NDP, according to Elections Alberta (unofficially).

Alberta NDP’s Rob Miyashiro — executive director of the Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization and former Lethbridge city councillor — is the riding's new MLA.

The NDP received 7,239 votes as of 11:15 p.m. Wednesday evening. The UCP received 6,089 votes. The Alberta Party received 233 votes.

"With over 40 years at the front lines of public service delivery in and around Lethbridge, I know how hard it can be for families and individuals who fall through the cracks in the system," said Miyashiro, who grew up in a Japanese family in Taber.

Miyashiro has lived in Lethbridge since 1980. He has three children and three grandchildren. His partner, Erin, works in front-line social services.

"I have unique experience developing, resourcing, and delivering programs for disadvantaged groups in and around our city," Miyashiro added.

"I know how to navigate provincial administration to get tangible outcomes for Lethbridge families and individuals in need."

The Lethbridge-West election was seen, by some, as a test for the NDP's new leader Naheed Nenshi in terms of his popularity outside Edmonton and Calgary.

Miyashiro ran against the UCP’s John Middleton-Hope — a Lethbridge city councillor and the Alberta Party’s Layton Veverka — a power engineer.