2008 Alberta Liberal Party leadership election

The 2008 Alberta Liberal leadership election was held on December 12, 2008, to select a leader of the Alberta Liberal Party.[1] Incumbent leader Kevin Taft announced his resignation June 2008, in the wake of the March provincial election in which the Liberals lost seven of their sixteen seats.[2]

2008 Alberta Liberal Party leadership election

← 2004 December 12, 2008 2011 →
 
Candidate David Swann Dave Taylor Mo Elsalhy
Party Liberal Liberal Liberal
Popular vote 2,468 1,616 491
Percentage 54.0% 35.3% 10.7%

Leader before election

Kevin Taft

Elected Leader

David Swann

2008 Alberta Liberal Party leadership election
DateDecember 12, 2008
Resigning leaderKevin Taft
Won byDavid Swann
Ballots1
Candidates3
Alberta Liberal Party leadership elections
1905 · 1924 · 1926 · 1930 ·1932 · 1937 · 1947 · 1958 · 1962 · 1966 · 1967 · 1969 · 1971 · 1974 · 1988 · 1994 · 2001 · 2004 · 2008 · 2011 · 2017

Candidates

edit

Candidates had until September 30 to file nomination papers.[1] Three candidates announced their intentions to run:

Declined

edit

Hugh MacDonald, Edmonton-Gold Bar MLA since 1997, was at one time considering a candidacy.[3] Laurie Blakeman, MLA for Edmonton Centre since 1997 and Liberal House Leader, had been widely expected to run but in August announced that she would not do so, citing the financial cost of a candidacy. She said that she would not be endorsing a candidate.[4] Other Liberals to publicly decline to run included Calgary mayor Dave Bronconnier and former Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan, both of whom announced their intentions immediately following Taft's resignation,[5] and former Edmonton-Rutherford MLA Rick Miller, who expressed concern that, with the next provincial election presumably so far off, he wouldn't have a seat in the legislature for three and a half years after being elected leader.[3]

Results

edit

David Swann was elected leader of the Alberta Liberal Party on the first ballot, receiving more than half of the total votes cast.[6]

Candidate Votes Percentage
Swann 2,468 54.0%
Taylor 1,616 35.3%
Elsalhy 491 10.7%
Total 4,575 100.0%

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c Fekete, Jason (August 21, 2008). "Swann dives into Grit race". Calgary Herald. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
  2. ^ a b c Nease, Kristy (August 12, 2008). "Liberal candidate's plane problems scuttles McMurray trip". Fort McMurray Today. Archived from the original on January 24, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
  3. ^ a b Fekete, Jason (August 19, 2008). "Liberals to reveal leadership intentions". Calgary Herald. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
  4. ^ Beauchesne, Erika (August 19, 2008). "Blakeman decides not to run for Liberal leadership". Edmonton Journal. Archived from the original on August 27, 2008. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
  5. ^ McLean, Archie (June 27, 2008). "Four MLAs throw hats in Liberal ring". Calgary Herald. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
  6. ^ "New Alberta Liberal leader promises change to rescue ailing party". The Canadian Press. December 13, 2008. Retrieved December 13, 2008.[dead link]