Canadian federal election results in rural Alberta

Electoral history

Year	Results
2019
2015
2011
2008
2006
2004
2000
1997
1993
1988
1984
1980
1979
1974
1972
1968
1965
1963
1962
1958
1957
1953
1949
1945
1940
1930
1926
1925

This article shows results of Canadian federal elections in the province of Alberta outside the Calgary and Edmonton areas.

Regional profile

Rural Alberta is the most conservative region in Canada often leaning toward populist politics. For most of the last 80 years, the major right-wing party of the day has won all or most of the ridings here, often by large margins. The evangelical Social Credit Party was founded in rural Alberta, and for many years was either the first or second party in much of the region. The Progressive Conservative Party swept every riding here from 1972 to 1993. Rural Alberta was the power base for the Reform and Canadian Alliance parties from 1993 to 2000. The Conservative Party of Canada then won every riding in this region by large margins, making rural Alberta the least competitive region in the country. Some ridings in this area had been friendly to Red Tories, but since the 1990s the entire region has turned in a more fiscal and social conservative direction. For example, former prime minister Joe Clark represented the riding of Yellowhead (and its predecessor, Rocky Mountain) from 1972 to 1993 during his first tenure in parliament, but ran in (and won) the comparatively less conservative seat of Calgary Centre during his comeback to politics in 2000.

Much of this area has not been represented by a centre-left MP in recent memory; for instance, Lethbridge has been represented solely by right-wing MPs since 1930. The Liberals have been completely shut out from rural Alberta since 1972. As evidence of the antipathy much of the region has for the Liberals, Jack Horner crossed the floor in 1977 to join the Liberals, only to be soundly defeated when he ran for reelection in Crowfoot as a Liberal in 1979, losing almost three-fourths of his vote from 1974. He was also resoundingly defeated when he tried to regain the riding in 1980. Increasing political polarization has seen Liberals draw their lowest percentage of votes here in recent years, rarely obtaining more than 20 percent of the vote, and in some ridings (Crowfoot and Yellowhead) they have attracted less than 3 percent.

The New Democratic Party has also had poor results. The Green Party finished second ahead of the NDP in the Wild Rose riding in 2006. The NDP surged in 2011 across Alberta, including Wild Rose. In 2011 the NDP finished second in all of the rural Alberta ridings.

As a measure of how deeply conservative rural Alberta is, the Conservatives retained all their seats there in 2015 when the party was heavily defeated nationally. They took every riding with 60 percent or more of the vote, with centre-left parties only managing to exceed 20 percent mark in three ridings. However, support for the Conservatives was not universal; in all but three ridings, the NDP and Liberals collectively obtained 20 percent, sometimes reaching past 30 percent.

Social scientist Clark Banack describes a "triple alienation" in rural Alberta, formed of the regional sense of Western isolation born from frustrations around federal support, alienation as 'ordinary people' in a rapidly changing province, and a specific 'rural alienation' from urbanites "in terms of lifestyle, values and work ethic". Sociologist Sam Reimer surveyed Albertans and found that those in rural areas had a strong tendency toward anti-immigration views, regardless of religious affiliation. Political scientist Nelson Wiseman wrote that early American settlers to Alberta shaped its politics with the concept of "Alberta's exceptionalism", giving a strong base to conservative parties, receptiveness to neoliberalism, and strongly resisting federal intrusion.

2015

Main article: 2015 Canadian federal election

Electoral district	Candidates												Incumbent
	Conservative		NDP		Liberal		Green		Libertarian		Other
Banff—Airdrie		Blake Richards 42,228 63.37%		Joanne Boissonneault 4,521 6.78%		Marlo Raynolds 17,380 26.08%		Mike MacDonald 2,509 3.77%						Blake Richards Wild Rose
Battle River—Crowfoot		Kevin Sorenson 47,552 80.91%		Katherine Swampy 3,844 6.54%		Andy Kowalski 5,505 9.37%		Gary Kelly 1,868 3.18%						Kevin Sorenson Crowfoot
Bow River		Martin Shields 38,701 77.42%		Lynn MacWilliam 2,622 5.25%		William MacDonald Alexander 6,840 13.68%		Rita Ann Fromholt 919 1.84%				Fahed Khalid (DAPC) 83 0.17%	New District
												Andrew Kucy (Ind.) 543 1.09%
												Frans VandeStroet (CHP) 280 0.56%
Foothills		John Barlow 46,166 75.70%		Alison Thompson 3,919 6.43%		Tanya MacPherson 8,149 13.36%		Romy S. Tittel 1,983 3.25%		Cory Morgan 424 0.70%		Marc Slingerland (CHP) 345 0.57%		John Barlow Macleod
Fort McMurray—Cold Lake		David Yurdiga 28,625 60.56%		Melody Lepine 3,663 7.75%		Kyle Harrietha 13,403 28.36%		Brian Deheer 743 1.57%		Scott Berry 552 1.17%		Roelof Janssen (CHP) 280 0.59%		David Yurdiga Fort McMurray—Athabasca
Grande Prairie-Mackenzie		Chris Warkentin 38,895 72.91%		Saba Mossagizi 4,343 8.14%		Reagan Johnston 7,819 14.66%		James David Friesen 1,673 3.14%		Dylan Thompson 613 1.15%				Chris Warkentin Peace River
Lakeland		Shannon Stubbs 39,882 72.81%		Duane Zaraska 5,513 10.06%		Garry Parenteau 7,500 13.69%		Danielle Montgomery 1,283 2.34%		Robert George McFadzean 601 1.10%				Leon Benoit† Vegreville—Wainwright
													Merged District
														Brian Storseth† Westlock—St. Paul
Lethbridge		Rachael Harder 32,321 56.76%		Cheryl Meheden 11,674 20.50%		Mike Pyne 10,532 18.50%		Kas MacMillan 1,461 2.57%				Geoffrey Capp (CHP) 746 1.31%		Jim Hillyer‡
												Solly Krygier-Paine (Rhino.) 209 0.37%
Medicine Hat— Cardston—Warner		Jim Hillyer 34,849 68.80%		Erin Weir 4,897 9.67%		Glen Allan 9,085 17.94%		Brent Smith 1,319 2.60%				John Clayton Turner (Ind.) 500 0.99%		LaVar Payne† Medicine Hat
Peace River—Westlock		Arnold Viersen 34,342 69.35%		Cameron Alexis 7,127 14.39%		Chris Brown 6,360 12.84%		Sabrina Lee Levac 1,247 2.52%		Jeremy Sergeew 443 0.89%			New District
Red Deer—Lacombe		Blaine Calkins 43,599 70.71%		Doug Hart 7,055 11.44%		Jeff Rock 9,235 14.98%		Les Kuzyk 1,773 2.88%						Blaine Calkins Wetaskiwin
Red Deer—Mountain View		Earl Dreeshen 46,245 74.33%		Paul Harris 5,233 8.41%		Chandra Lescia Kastern 8,356 13.43%		Simon Oleny 1,621 2.61%		James Walper 445 0.72%		Scott Milne (Pirate) 312 0.50%		Earl Dreeshen Red Deer
Yellowhead		Jim Eglinski 37,950 72.25%		Ken Kuzminski 4,753 9.05%		Ryan Maguhn 7,467 14.22%		Sandra Wolf Lange 1,538 2.93%		Cory Lystang 817 1.56%				Jim Eglinski

2011

Main article: 2011 Canadian federal election

Electoral district	Candidates										Incumbent
	Conservative		Liberal		NDP		Green		Other
Crowfoot		Kevin A Sorenson 44,115 83.99%		Omar Harb 1,224 2.33%		Ellen Parker 4,805 9.15%		Konrad Schellenberg 1,711 3.26%		Gerard Groenendijk (CHP) 204 0.39%		Kevin Sorenson
										John C. Turner (Ind.) 463 0.88%
Fort McMurray—Athabasca		Brian Jean 21,988 71.84%		Karen Young 3,190 10.42%		Berend Wilting 4,053 13.24%		Jule Asterisk 1,374 4.49%				Brian Jean
Lethbridge		Jim Hillyer 27,173 56.51%		Michael Cormican 4,030 8.38%		Mark Sandilands 13,072 27.18%		Cailin Bartlett 2,095 4.36%		Geoffrey Capp (CHP) 1,716 3.57%		Rick Casson†
Macleod		Ted Menzies 40,007 77.48%		Nicole Hankel 1,898 3.68		Janine Giles 5,335 10.33%		Attila Nagy 2,389 4.63%		Brad Carrigan (PC) 1,754 3.40%		Ted Menzies
										Marc Slingerland (CHP) 252 0.49%
Medicine Hat		LaVar Payne 30,719 71.55%		Norm Boucher 4,416 10.29%		Dennis Perrier 5,616 13.08%		Graham Murray 1,868 4.35%		Frans VandeStroet (CHP) 317 0.74%		LaVar Payne
Peace River		Chris Warkentin 36,334 75.76%		Corina Ganton 1,481 3.09%		Jennifer Villeburn 7,740 16.14%		Wayne John Kamieniecki 1,702 3.55%		Donovan Eckstrom (Rhino) 345 0.72%		Chris Warkentin
										Russ Toews (Ind.) 359 0.75%
Red Deer		Earl Dreeshen 37,959 75.93%		Andrew Lineker 1,918 3.84%		Stuart Somerville 7,566 15.13%		Mason Connor Woodruff Sisson 2,551 5.10%				Earl Dreeshen
Vegreville—Wainwright		Leon Benoit 39,145 79.79%		Ron Williams 1,525 3.11%		Ray A Stone 5,561 11.34%		William Munsey 2,499 5.09%		Matthew Sokalski (CHP) 327 0.67%		Leon Benoit
Westlock—St. Paul		Brian Storseth 32,652 77.82%		Rob Fox 2,569 6.12%		Lyndsey Ellen Henderson 5,103 12.16%		Lisa Grant 1,634 3.89%				Brian Storseth
Wetaskiwin		Blaine Calkins 37,756 81.44%		Christopher Anderson 1,348 2.91%		Tim Robson 5,281 11.39%		Robert Johnston 1,978 4.27%				Blaine Calkins
Wild Rose		Blake Richards 43,669 74.74%		John Douglas Reilly 3,908 6.69%		Jeff Horvath 6,595 11.29%		Mike MacDonald 4,071 6.97%		Randy Vanden Broek (CHP) 181 0.31%		Blake Richards
Yellowhead		Rob Merrifield 31,925 77.03%		Zack Siezmagraff 1,190 2.87%		Mark Wells 5,411 13.06%		Monika Schaefer 2,122 5.14%		Melissa Brade (CAP) 384 0.93%		Rob Merrifield
										Jacob Strydhorst (CHP) 404 0.97%

2008

Main article: 2008 Canadian federal election

Electoral district	Candidates												Incumbent
	Conservative		Liberal		NDP		Green		Christian Heritage		Other
Crowfoot		Kevin Sorenson 39,342 82.03%		Sharon L. Howe 1,958 4.08%		Ellen Parker 3,783 7.89%		Kaitlin Kettenbach 2,875 5.99%						Kevin Sorenson
Fort McMurray—Athabasca		Brian Jean 17,160 67.12%		John Webb 2,710 10.60%		Mark Voyageur 3,300 12.91%		Dylan Richards 1,628 6.37%		Jacob Strydhorst 186 0.73%		John Malcolm (FPNP) 233 0.91%		Brian Jean
												Shawn Reimer (Ind.) 350 1.37%
Lethbridge		Rick Casson 31,714 66.96%		Michael Joseph Cormican 4,404 9.30%		Mark Sandilands 6,733 14.22%		Amanda Swager 3,420 7.22%		Geoffrey Capp 1,094 2.31%				Rick Casson
Macleod		Ted Menzies 35,328 77.36%		Isabel Paynter 2,703 5.92%		Stan Knowlton 3,053 6.69%		Jared McCollum 4,161 9.11%		Marc Slingerland 422 0.92%				Ted Menzies
Medicine Hat		LaVar Payne 26,950 70.87%		Bev Botter 2,639 6.94%		Wally Regehr 4,187 11.01%		Kevin Dodd 2,338 6.15%		Frans Vandestroet 363 0.95%		David S. Patrick (Ind.) 580 1.53%		Monte Solberg†
												Dean Shock (Ind.) 971 2.55%
Peace River		Chris Warkentin 29,550 69.51%		Liliane Maisonneuve 2,843 6.69%		Adele Boucher Rymhs 6,124 14.41%		Jennifer Villebrun 3,303 7.77%				Edwin Siggelkow (CAP) 373 0.88%		Chris Warkentin
												Mélanie Simard (Libert.) 316 0.74%
Red Deer		Earl Dreeshen 33,226 73.24%		Garfield Marks 2,863 6.31%		Stuart Somerville 5,040 11.11%		Evan Bedford 4,239 9.34%						Bob Mills†
Vegreville—Wainwright		Leon Benoit 34,493 77.09%		Adam Campbell 2,345 5.24%		Ray Stone 4,230 9.45%		William Munsey 3,676 8.22%						Leon Benoit
Westlock—St. Paul		Brian Storseth 27,338 72.71%		Leila Houle 3,418 9.09%		Della Drury 3,809 10.13%		Aden Murphy 2,522 6.71%		Sip Hofstede 510 1.36%				Brian Storseth
Wetaskiwin		Blaine Calkins 32,528 77.14%		Rita Katherine Dillon 2,362 5.60%		Tim Robson 3,636 8.62%		Les Parsons 3,395 8.05%				Shawn Mann (CAP) 249 0.59%		Blaine Calkins
Wild Rose		Blake Richards 36,869 72.92%		Jenn Turcott 2,890 5.72%		Jeff Horvath 4,169 8.24%		Lisa Fox 6,390 12.64%				Krista Zoobkoff (Libert.) 246 0.49%		Myron Thompson†
Yellowhead		Rob Merrifield 26,863 71.85%		Mohamed El-Rafih 1,489 3.98%		Ken Kuzminski 4,587 12.27%		Monika Schaefer 3,437 9.19%		John M. Wierenga 606 1.62%		Melissa Brade (CAP) 408 1.09%		Rob Merrifield

2006

Main article: 2006 Canadian federal election

Electoral district	Candidates										Incumbent
	Liberal		Conservative		NDP		Green		Other
Crowfoot		Adam Campbell 2,908 5.56%		Kevin A. Sorenson 43,210 82.56%		Ellen Parker 3,875 7.40%		Cameron Wigmore 2,347 4.48%				Kevin Sorenson
Fort McMurray—Athabasca		Mel H. Buffalo 4,663 14.78%		Brian Jean 20,400 64.66%		Roland Lefort 4,602 14.59%		Ian Hopfe 1,547 4.90%		John Malcolm (FPNP) 337 1.07%		Brian Jean
Lethbridge		Michael Cormican 5,859 11.25%		Rick Casson 35,061 67.30%		Melanee Thomas 7,135 13.70%		Andrea Sheridan 1,846 3.54%		Howard Fosyth (Ind.) 735 1.41%		Rick Casson
										Marc Slingerland (CHP) 1,458 2.80%
Macleod		Bernie Kennedy 4,596 9.24%		Ted Menzies 37,534 75.45%		Joyce Thomas 3,251 6.54%		Larry Ashmore 3,075 6.18%		Catherine Whelan Costen (CAP) 235 0.47%		Ted Menzies
										Myron Wolf Child (Ind.) 1,055 2.12%
Medicine Hat		Bev Botter 3,737 8.35%		Monte Solberg 35,670 79.71%		Wally Regehr 3,598 8.04%		Kevin Dodd 1,746 3.90%				Monte Solberg
Peace River		Tanya Mary Kappo 4,573 9.38%		Chris Warkentin 27,785 56.97%		Susan Thompson 5,427 11.13%		Zane Lewis 1,102 2.26%		Bill Given (Ind.) 9,882 20.26%		Charlie Penson†
Red Deer		Luke Kurata 4,636 9.15%		Bob Mills 38,375 75.75%		Kelly Bickford 5,034 9.94%		Tanner Wade Waldo 2,618 5.17%				Bob Mills
Vegreville—Wainwright		Duff Stewart 3,873 7.57%		Leon Benoit 37,954 74.17%		Len Legault 4,727 9.24%		Brian Rozmahel 3,822 7.47%		Robert Peter Kratchmer (WBP) 431 0.84%		Leon Benoit
										Blaine William Stephan (CHP) 364 0.71%
Westlock—St. Paul		Cory Ollikka 6,531 15.00%		Brian Storseth 29,698 68.22%		Peter Opryshko 4,368 10.03%		Richard De Smet 2,136 4.91%		Werner Gisler (Ind.) 416 0.96%		David Chatters†
										Clarence Shultz (Ind.) 381 0.88%
Wetaskiwin		Peter Crossley 4,371 9.18%		Blaine Calkins 35,776 75.15%		Jim Graves 4,441 9.33%		Tom Lampman 3,016 6.34%				Dale Johnston†
Wild Rose		Judy Stewart 5,331 9.74%		Myron Thompson 39,487 72.17%		Shannon Nelles 3,968 7.25%		Sean Maw 5,929 10.84%				Myron Thompson
Yellowhead		Nancy Love 4,066 9.45%		Rob Merrifield 30,640 71.19%		Noel Lapierre 4,712 10.95%		Monika Schaefer 2,856 6.64%		John Marvin Wierenga (CHP) 765 1.78%		Rob Merrifield

2004

Main article: 2004 Canadian federal election

Key map

1. Fort McMurray-Athabasca
2. Crowfoot
3. Lethbridge
4. Macleod
5. Medicine Hat
6. Peace River
7. Red Deer
8. Vegreville-Wainwright
9. Westlock-St. Paul
10. Wetaskiwin
11. Wild Rose
12. Yellowhead

• 
  Conservative Party of Canada
• 
  Green Party of Canada
• 
  Liberal Party of Canada
• 
  New Democratic Party

2000

Main article: 2000 Canadian federal election