Former Justice Minister Alison Redford won the leadership of the Progressive Conservative party in the early hours of Sunday morning after ballots from across the province were counted and determined Alberta's designate premier.
Gary Mar earned the most first preference votes with 42.5 per cent of around 78,000 ballots cast, but due to the party's policy of needing over 50 per cent to win, ballots for third place candidate Doug Horner gave enough second choice votes to Redford for the win.
Horner took around 16,000 votes for 20 per cent, while Redford took around 29,000 for 37 per cent. With Horner's voters' second choice ballots, Redford advanced to 37,101 votes for 51 per cent of the vote. Mar came in a close second with nearly 35,500, 49 per cent, 1,610 votes behind Redford.
Both Horner and Mar congratulated Redford for securing the leadership of the party.
“With this leadership process we have renewed our party," Redford said. “We have voted for change."
Horner dominated the Lac La Biche – St. Paul constituency with 1,566 of 1,974 votes, 79 per cent, around the same percentage as the first vote. Mar increased his votes to 158 from 102, but not his percentage of support at around eight per cent, despite holding meetings in Mallaig and St. Paul on Sept. 26.
Redford moved from third, on the first ballot, to second in the constituency with 250 votes and 13 per cent, an improvement of nearly eight per cent.
Voter turnout in the constituency ranked among the highest in the province, beat only by Edmonton – Whitemud, Calgary West, Calgary – Elbow and advance polls.
“I was very impressed and appreciative of the turnout in our constituency," said MLA Ray Danyluk on Monday. “There were so many volunteers that worked so hard." The high turnout showed the constituency and rural Alberta “is engaged and is important and is critical on the landscape of this province," he said.
While Danyluk campaigned hard for Horner, Redford was his second choice. Redford earned around 1,200 second choice votes in the constituency, he said.
“She's very intelligent, articulate and confident," he said. “She is someone who I believe has a connection, an understanding of rural Alberta."
Mar's plan to eliminate the Municipal Sustainability Initiative and give the education tax to municipalities would have “killed small communities in rural Alberta," he added.
Danyluk expects Redford to appoint the cabinet by next week.
Around 144,000 people voted in the second ballot of the 2006 leadership race, a 46 per cent decline this election.
The time of year had a “major impact," said Danyluk, noting many people were out of their voting constituency or were in the fields combining. With the May federal election and the recent Liberal leadership election, people have had “enough politics," he added.
Bonnyville – Cold Lake also supported Horner, with 61 per cent of 586 votes. Redford came in second with 22 per cent and Mar third with 17 per cent.
Redford's victory came only days after her mother Helen died at the age of 71 on Sept. 27, which temporarily suspended the campaign.
Redford has named her transition team as she prepares to assume the premier's office, according to a press release. The team will be chaired by Calgary lawyer and Redford's long time friend Robert Hawkes, as well as former campaign manager Stephen Carter, James Heelan of Bennett Jones, former Redford leadership campaign staff Jeff Henwood and Josh Traptow, Alberta Health Services chair Ken Hughes, political strategist Susan Elliott, policy analyst Annette Hester, and communications consultant and former journalist Gord Rosko.
“I am confident in the collective years of skill and talent in this group, and couldn't feel more positive about setting up my office and coordinating further engaged and motivated individuals who are as energized and eager to be a part of this exciting and dynamic time in the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta, as well as in our province," said Redford.
The fall session of the legislature has been cancelled.
