2008 Alberta Liberal Party leadership election

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2008 Alberta Liberal Party leadership election

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2004
December 12, 2008 2011 →
 
Candidate David Swann Dave Taylor Mo Elsalhy
Party Liberal Liberal Liberal
Popular vote 2,468 1,616 491
Percentage 54.0% 35.3% 10.7%

Leader before election

Kevin Taft

Elected Leader

David Swann

2008 Alberta Liberal Party leadership election
DateDecember 12, 2008
Resigning leader
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The 2008 Alberta Liberal leadership election was held on December 12, 2008, to select a leader of the Alberta Liberal Party.[1] Incumbent leader Kevin Taft announced his resignation June 2008, in the wake of the March provincial election in which the Liberals lost seven of their sixteen seats.[2]

Candidates

Candidates had until September 30 to file nomination papers.[1] Three candidates announced their intentions to run:

Declined

House Leader, had been widely expected to run but in August announced that she would not do so, citing the financial cost of a candidacy. She said that she would not be endorsing a candidate.[4] Other Liberals to publicly decline to run included Calgary mayor Dave Bronconnier and former Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan, both of whom announced their intentions immediately following Taft's resignation,[5] and former Edmonton-Rutherford MLA Rick Miller, who expressed concern that, with the next provincial election presumably so far off, he wouldn't have a seat in the legislature for three and a half years after being elected leader.[3]

Results

David Swann was elected leader of the Alberta Liberal Party on the first ballot, receiving more than half of the total votes cast.[6]

Candidate Votes Percentage
Swann 2,468 54.0%
Taylor 1,616 35.3%
Elsalhy 491 10.7%
Total 4,575 100.0%

References

  1. ^ a b c Fekete, Jason (August 21, 2008). "Swann dives into Grit race". Calgary Herald. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
  2. ^ a b c Nease, Kristy (August 12, 2008). "Liberal candidate's plane problems scuttles McMurray trip". Fort McMurray Today. Archived from the original on January 24, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
  3. ^ a b Fekete, Jason (August 19, 2008). "Liberals to reveal leadership intentions". Calgary Herald. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
  4. ^ Beauchesne, Erika (August 19, 2008). "Blakeman decides not to run for Liberal leadership". Edmonton Journal. Archived from the original on August 27, 2008. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
  5. ^ McLean, Archie (June 27, 2008). "Four MLAs throw hats in Liberal ring". Calgary Herald. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
  6. ^ "New Alberta Liberal leader promises change to rescue ailing party". The Canadian Press. December 13, 2008. Retrieved December 13, 2008.