BANFF–KANANASKIS – The writ for the 2023 provincial election has been dropped and the official race is on.
So far, three candidates are vying for the Banff-Kananaskis riding – considered to be a swing riding – in the May 29 Alberta general election, including Green Party candidate Regan Boychuk, NDP candidate Sarah Elmeligi and the UCP’s Miranda Rosin, who is running for re-election as MLA.
Candidate nominations are now open and end on May 11 at 2:00 p.m.
“We are excited to welcome Albertans back to the polls this month,” said Glen Resler, Alberta’s chief electoral officer shortly after the writ was dropped Monday morning (May 1).
“Returning officers have been appointed, and we are in the process of recruiting and training nearly 20,000 Election officers to conduct voting in the 87 electoral divisions across the province.”
There are 12 political parties registered with Elections Alberta, though not every party will necessarily run a candidate
According to the Green Party’s website, Boychuk is an independent public interest researcher studying Alberta’s oilpatch. He published a peer-reviewed study of royalties and profits with the University of Alberta’s Parkland Institute in 2010, where he was research manager.
He was appointed to Alberta’s 2015 Royalty Review Panel’s oil sands expert group, is a leading researcher on Alberta’s aging oilfield infrastructure, participated in the province’s 2017 Liability Management Review, was retained by the University of Calgary’s Public Interest Law Clinic in support of their intervention at the Supreme Court in the RedWater Energy case, and has briefed Alberta Energy, Alberta Environment, the Alberta Energy Regulator, the finance minister, and the Auditor General's office.
Born and raised in Grande Prairie, Boychuk earned a BA in international relations from the University of Calgary and a master’s degree in political science from York University in 2005.
“Regan is excited for the opportunity to offer the residents of Banff-Kananaskis a different choice this election,” states the party’s website.
Elmeligi, the NDP candidate, has dedicated her career to the conservation and effective management of Alberta’s most wild areas and is a long time Bow Valley local.
According to the party’s website, Elmeligi’s issues include stopping the UCP plan for coal mining along the Eastern Slopes, addressing this region’s doctor shortage, and working for a diversified economy for all Albertans.
After years of working with environmental non-profit organizations and Alberta Parks, Elmeligi currently runs her own environmental consulting company.
“A published author and an accomplished wildlife biologist, Sarah lives in Canmore with her husband, daughter, dog, and cats,” states the website.
Rosin, the incumbent who was elected as Banff-Kananaskis MLA in the 2019 provincial election, has a background in management and business development, with deep family roots in small business and agriculture. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Regina and Shanghai Lixin University of Commerce in addition to a Certificate in Energy Policy Planning from the University of Idaho.
“Miranda serves as an active volunteer in her church community, coaches the University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business national case competition team, and enjoys hiking and downhill skiing in her limited spare time,” states the website.
Voter Eligibility
- Canadian citizens who reside in Alberta and are at least 18 years of age or older on Election Day are eligible to vote in the Provincial General Election.
- Voter Registration
- Electors may register to vote online at www.voterlink.ab.ca until May 17, 2023, by contacting Elections Alberta or their local returning office before 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 20.
- Electors can also register to vote at any advance voting location in Alberta or at their assigned voting place on Election Day.
- Electors who are already registered to vote at their current address do not need to register again.
Voter Identification
- To vote in the 2023 Provincial General Election, electors are required to prove their identity and current address. There are several ways to do this, including:
- Providing one piece of Government-issued photo ID, including the voter’s full name, current address, and a photo.
- Providing two pieces of ID, both containing the voter’s full name and one that lists their current physical address.
- Having another registered elector with identification that resides in their voting area vouch for them.
- Having an authorized signatory complete an attestation form.
- More than 50 different types of identification have been authorized by the Chief Electoral Officer to be used as identification to vote.
Key Timelines
- Electors have 28 days to vote by Special Ballot beginning May 1. Special Ballots may be completed in the returning office, picked up by a designate of the elector, or mailed to the elector anywhere in the world. Applications can be submitted online on the Elections Alberta website.
- Candidate nominations are now open and end on May 11, 2023, at 2:00 p.m.
- Advance voting begins on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, and ends on Saturday, May 27, 2023.
- Election Day is Monday, May 29, 2023. All voting places will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- Unofficial results will be available after voting closes on Election Day.
- Official results will be announced on June 8, 2023, at 10:00 a.m.
Returning Offices
Returning offices in all electoral divisions open Monday (May 1) across Alberta. Returning offices are open on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and on Voting Days from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Returning Office addresses and contact information can be found at: https://elections.ab.ca/current-election-information/returning-offices/
For any questions or concerns regarding the provincial election, visit www.elections.ab.ca, call 1-877-422-VOTE, or email [email protected].
