Alberta Elections

Smoky Lake Signal Article No. 187
(September 7, 2011)

Alberta Elections -
In the last few weeks Alberta politics has become more interesting for political commentators and the media where there seems to be more reporting and assessment.  For the general public, things seem to have become more confusing; and for me, I have become quite irritated by all the political survey calls coming through on my telephone.  A little re-cap:  Albertans have just experienced an Alberta Liberal Party leadership contest (voting was on September 3) where you could vote for one of five Liberal leadership candidates, without being an Alberta Liberal Party member.  Albertans have also been informed and are now being enumerated for the next federal election which is still years away.  At the same time and over the next few weeks, two possible election ballots will be held to elect a new leader of PC Alberta Party and therefore the new Premier, Province of Alberta.  For the PC Alberta election contest, it is a two stage ballot process and you will have to be a card carrying member of the PC Alberta Party.  The key dates for the PC leadership campaign are:  Saturday, September, 17 in which PC Alberta card carrying members can select only one of the six candidates running to be PC Alberta Party leader.  If none of the six candidates receives a clear majority of the votes (over 50 percent), a second ballot will be held on Saturday, October 1 when PC Alberta members can vote for their first and second preference, of three remaining candidates - the three candidates that will appear on the second ballot are the three candidates who received the most votes in the September 17 ballot.  It is important to remember that to vote at the Smoky Lake Poll station you must be in possession of a 2011 PC Alberta membership card; reside within the Athabasca - Redwater Constituency; and produce two pieces of valid identification.  For those that cannot vote on Saturday, September 17 and (if necessary) on October 1, Advance Polls will be open on September 13 (first ballot) and September 27 (second ballot, if necessary).  Watch the newspapers for the specific polling station times and locations.  Location of the Smoky Lake Poll station for the first ballot has been identified:

First Ballot, Advance Poll - Tuesday, September 13 - Ukrainian National Hall - #107 Willow Creek Street, Smoky Lake (9:00am to 7:00pm);

First Ballot - Saturday, September 17 - Ukrainian National Hall - #107 Willow Creek Street, Smoky Lake (9:00am to 7:00pm);

A Small Irritation:
What has become quite irritating is the number of telephone survey calls that I and my household received in the last month or so - well over a dozen calls from various political groups in Alberta - its gotten to the point that I hang up on the caller (the computer), much like the calls I don't listen to from Florida or Virginia asking me about my credit card rating or how I can receive 100,000 free air miles if I just press 1.