1975 Alberta general election

1975 Alberta general election

← 1971 March 26, 1975 (1975-03-26) 1979 →

75 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
38 seats were needed for a majority
Turnout59.58%
  Majority party Minority party Third party
 
SC
Leader Peter Lougheed Werner Schmidt Grant Notley
Party Progressive Conservative Social Credit New Democratic
Leader since 1965 1973 1968
Leader's seat Calgary-West ran in Taber-Warner (lost) Spirit River-Fairview
Last election 49 seats, 46.4% 25 seats, 41.1% 1 seats, 11.4%
Seats before 49 25 1
Seats won 69 4 1
Seat change Increase20 Decrease21 ±0
Popular vote 369,764 107,211 76,360
Percentage 62.7% 18.2% 12.9%
Swing Increase16.3% Decrease22.9% Increase1.5%

Popular vote by riding. As this is a first-past-the-post election, seat totals are not determined by total popular vote, but instead by results in each riding.

Premier before election

Peter Lougheed
Progressive Conservative

Premier after election

Peter Lougheed
Progressive Conservative

The 1975 Alberta general election was held on March 26, 1975, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta to the 18th Alberta Legislature. The election was called on February 14, 1975 prorogued and dissolved of the 17th Alberta Legislature.[1]

The Progressive Conservative Party led by incumbent Premier Peter Lougheed won its second term in government in a landslide, taking over 62 per cent of the popular vote and winning 69 of the 75 seats in the legislature to form a majority government.

The Social Credit Party saw its vote collapse. After 36 years in government from 1935 to 1971—virtually its entire history—it was ill-prepared for a role in opposition. It lost over half of its popular vote from the previous election, and was cut down to only four MLAs—just barely holding onto official party status.

  1. ^ Perry & Footz 2006, p. 499.