Official election results show Alberta voter turnout dropped compared to 2019

Elections Alberta released Thursday the official results for last month's provincial election, and voter turnout was notably lower compared to the last provincial contest. 

Alberta's turnout in the May 29 election was 59.5 per cent, with more than 1.7 million ballots cast, the independent office said. Still, the turnout was a sizeable drop from the 67.5 per cent turnout reported in the 2019 provincial election. 

"I would have expected it, generally speaking, to be higher, because it was such a close election, and that usually drives higher turnout," said Lori Williams, an associate professor of policy studies at Mount Royal University. 

In last month's election, Albertans re-elected Danielle Smith's United Conservative Party to majority government, with 49 of 87 seats. The New Democratic Party, led by Rachel Notley, is set to form the Official Opposition with 38 seats.

Calgary proved to be a key battleground, as the NDP held its Edmonton stronghold while most of the province's rural areas remained a sea of UCP blue. 

Seventeen of the 26 ridings in Calgary saw a turnout higher than the provincial average, election data showed. Two of the ridings had races decided by fewer than 100 votes, prompting automatic recounts. 

To Williams, this swell of voter interest in Calgary was likely voters knowing the contest would be close. 

"It's not at all surprising that in the ridings where people did think their votes could make a difference, and this election mattered to them, they had a huge incentive to come out and vote," she said.

As for the drop in overall voter turnout, several factors might have come into play, Williams said. However, she speculated a portion of the drop was likely due to progressive conservatives staying home.

"I knew there was a possibility that those conservatives who could not bring themselves to vote UCP but nor could they bring themselves to vote for the NDP, I knew that that could drive down voter turnout," she said. 

"I know that this was a concern for the UCP even before the election officially got underway."

No word yet on judicial recounts 

The NDP won two races in Calgary by just a handful of votes, and the results were verified by Elections Alberta. Even so, the UCP could still call for a judicial recount. 

The defeated UCP candidates in those ridings have eight days to decide whether they will apply for a judicial recount in the Court of King's Bench.

"The party will work with affected candidates to review the results and decide whether or not to request a judicial recount if warranted," said Dave Prisco, a UCP spokesperson, in a statement. 

The official results in these ridings varied from the unofficial totals posted on election night.

For instance, the officials results showed Shandro losing by 25 votes while the unofficial count showed him losing by seven votes.

When asked about the discrepancy, Elections Alberta spokesperson Robyn Bell said the difference in results could be due to several factors, including "human error during the hand count on election night or review of the rejected and objected to ballots."

She added: "The official count ensures accurate results have been recorded."