Alberta breaks record for most votes cast in provincial election

Editor’s Note: This story originally said that 1,905,520 votes were cast in the 2019 Alberta election. Elections Alberta has since clarified that number includes declined and rejected ballots. This story has been updated to reflect the correct information that 1,894,985 valid votes were cast.

A record number of Albertans participated in this spring’s general provincial election.

On Friday, Elections Alberta reported 1,894,985 valid votes were cast during the general election, which is the most ever in the province.

The voter turnout came in at 64 per cent, which was lower than the unofficial results released a few days after the April 16 election.

READ MORE: Elections Alberta releases unofficial results; voter turnout comes in at 71%

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The riding of Grande Prairie-Wapiti had the highest voter turnout with 80.2 per cent. UCP candidate Travis Toews won in that area.

Calgary-East had the lowest voter turnout at 45.8 per cent where UCP candidate Peter Singh won.

Edmonton-Strathcona, the riding that outgoing premier Rachel Notley ran in, saw a turnout of 58.3 per cent, while Premier-elect Jason Kenney’s riding of Calgary-Lougheed saw a turnout of 67.9 per cent.

A record number of voters also chose to participate in the advance polls, with 36.7 per cent of electors who voted, choosing that option.

Elections Alberta said the number of voters in the advance option is the highest in any Canadian federal, provincial or territorial election.

READ MORE: Jason Kenney’s United Conservative Party wins majority government

The United Conservative Party won a majority government, claiming 63 seats. The UCP received a total of 1,040,004 votes — or 54.9 per cent.

The NDP won 24 seats, accumulating 619,147 votes — or 32.7 per cent — while the Alberta Party had 171,996 — or 9.1 per cent votes — but did not win a seat.

The Alberta Liberal Party had 18,546 votes — or 1.0 per cent — and also did not win a riding.

No other party or independent candidate won a seat.

– With files from Kirby Bourne, 630 CHED