Polls in Calgary are expected to be tight, and voters are already feeling the heat.
Voters in Calgary-Klein have been keeping an eye on the polls and some who voted early on Saturday believe the results could go either way.
“It upped the importance of the vote a little bit, but it didn’t decide whether I was going to vote,” said Calgarian Mark Langille who was voting at the Winston Heights-Mountview Community Association advance polling station on Saturday.
Saturday was the last day for advance polls before election day on May 29.
For up-to-date live results on election night visit our Live Results Map
Calgary has 26 ridings. All but three are held by the UCP, but analysts have predicted some of those seats might change.
“It could be 50 votes. It could be 25 votes in some ridings because we are dealing with a two-party system right now. It seems like all of the Alberta Party support has moved to the NDP,” said Calgary political strategist Sarah Biggs. “I don’t think we’re going to bed early on Monday night.”
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She said the ridings of Calgary-Currie, Calgary-Northeast, Calgary-Beddington, Calgary-Varsity and Calgary-Falconridge are true battlegrounds and are expecting races so tight there could be recounts.
“There are some big conservative names. We could see them not going back to the legislature on Tuesday. It’s going to be difficult to say what’s going to happen,” Biggs said.
“We cannot underestimate how heated Calgary is going to be.”
Biggs said there could be a wildcard in the game: people who haven’t been represented in the polls.
“Either the quiet NDP voter or the quiet UCP voters … They don’t want to say anything and they don’t want to be seen. They just want to go mark their ballot and go home,” Biggs said.
Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley was at a rally in downtown Calgary on Saturday and will make a stop in Red Deer on Sunday.
She will also address supporters at a major rally in Edmonton on Sunday.
“This is a close election and it could come down to one seat,” Notley told supporters in Calgary on Saturday.
There were no media events for UCP leader Danielle Smith on Saturday but two Calgary UCP candidates held a media availability announcing plans to expand mental health resources.
Polls have suggested the two main parties are in a statistical tie in Calgary where it’s widely believed the outcome of the provincial election will be decided.
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