2008 Alberta general election

2008 Alberta general election
← 2004 March 3, 2008 (2008-03-03) 2012 →
83 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
42 seats were needed for a majority
Turnout40.59%
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Ed Stelmach Kevin Taft
Party Progressive Conservative Liberal
Leader since December 2, 2006 March 27, 2004
Leader's seat Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville Edmonton-Riverview
Last election 62 seats, 46.8% 16 seats, 29.4%
Seats before 60 16
Seats won 72 9
Seat change Increase12 Decrease7
Popular vote 501,063 251,158
Percentage 52.7% 26.4%
Swing Increase5.9pp Decrease3.0pp
  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader Brian Mason Paul Hinman
Party New Democratic Wildrose Alliance
Leader since July 13, 2004 2008
Leader's seat Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood Cardston-Taber-Warner (lost re-election)
Last election 4 seats, 10.2% 1 seats, 8.7%
Seats before 4 1
Seats won 2 0
Seat change Decrease2 Decrease1
Popular vote 80,578 64,407
Percentage 8.5% 6.8%
Swing Decrease1.7pp Decrease1.9pp
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

Ed Stelmach
Progressive Conservative

Premier after election

Ed Stelmach
Progressive Conservative

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The 2008 Alberta general election was held on March 3, 2008, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.

It was expected to be called early because the governing Progressive Conservatives held a leadership election on December 2, 2006, in which Ed Stelmach was elected to replace Ralph Klein as party leader and Premier. The election was called when Stelmach formally advised Lieutenant Governor Norman Kwong to dissolve the Legislature, which happened on February 4, 2008.[1]

With 53% of the popular vote, the Progressive Conservatives won a decisive majority over the Liberal and other parties, despite early suggestions of a closer race.[citation needed]

The 2008 election had the lowest voter turnout in the province's history, with only 40.59% of eligible voters casting a ballot.[2]

  1. ^ "Albertans to vote March 3". CBC News. February 4, 2008. Archived from the original on May 30, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  2. ^ Election Alberta (July 28, 2008). 2008 General Report (PDF). p. 158. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 24, 2012. Retrieved April 29, 2011.