1989 Alberta general election

The 1989 Alberta general election was held on March 20, 1989, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.

1989 Alberta general election

← 1986 March 20, 1989 (1989-03-20) 1993 →

83 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
42 seats needed for a majority
Turnout53.60%
  Majority party Minority party Third party
 
Leader Don Getty Ray Martin Laurence Decore
Party Progressive Conservative New Democratic Liberal
Leader since November 1, 1985 November 10, 1984 October 9, 1988
Leader's seat Edmonton-Whitemud (lost re-election) Edmonton-Norwood Edmonton-Glengarry
Last election 61 seats, 51.4% 16 seats, 29.2% 4 seats, 12.2%
Seats before 61 16 4
Seats won 59 16 8
Seat change Decrease2 ±0 Increase4
Popular vote 367,244 217,972 237,787
Percentage 44.3% 26.3% 28.7%
Swing Decrease7.1% Decrease2.9% Increase16.5%

Premier before election

Don Getty
Progressive Conservative

Premier after election

Don Getty
Progressive Conservative

Many political observers were surprised by the early election call as less than three years had passed since the previous election. Premier Don Getty, in his second election as Progressive Conservative Party leader, led it to its sixth consecutive term in government, although supported by less than half the votes cast in the election.

Despite losing a significant share of the popular vote, the PC's benefited from a split vote between the two main opponents Liberals and NDP. Together those two parties received 55 percent of the vote to the Conservative's 44 percent.

The Conservatives sustained a net loss of only two seats in the legislature. Most notably, the premier lost his own seat of Edmonton-Whitemud to Liberal candidate Percy Wickman. The PC's were reduced to just two seats in Edmonton, however despite their losses in urban areas they remained largely dominant in Calgary while their losses were somewhat offset by gains in rural areas, notably at the expense of the moribund Representative Party. Getty himself would quickly return to the Legislature by winning a by-election in a safe rural seat.

The New Democratic Party led by Ray Martin largely held its share of the popular vote, with its gains being balanced by its losses and the party left with the same number of seats (16) as in the previous in the legislature.

The Liberal Party, under new leader Laurence Decore, was the principal beneficiary of the voters' continuing distrust of Don Getty. The Liberals' share of the popular vote increased to over 28%, more than the NDP, but whereas the NDP continued to dominate in Edmonton the Liberal vote was more evenly distributed and the party's legislative caucus increased from four to only eight members.

The Representative Party, which had elected 2 candidates in the previous election, did not run any candidates in 1989 (although it remained registered). Leader Ray Speaker defected to the Progressive Conservatives, while Walt Buck retired. The party disbanded soon after the election.

Results

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Overall voter turnout was 53.60%.[1]

 
Party Party leader # of
candidates
Seats Popular vote
1986 Elected % Change # % % Change
  Progressive Conservative Don Getty 83 61 59 -3.3% 367,244 44.29% -7.11%
  New Democrats Ray Martin 83 16 16 - 217,952 26.29% -2.93%
Liberal Laurence Decore 83 4 8 +100% 237,787 28.68% +16.46%
  Social Credit Harvey Yuill 6 * - * 3,939 0.47% *
  Independent 10 - - - 2,162 0.26% -0.60%
Communist Norman Brudy 2 - - - 85 0.01% -0.02%
Representative 0 2 - -100% 0 0.00% -
Total 267 83 83 - 829,189 100%  
Source: Elections Alberta

Note:

* Party did not nominate candidates in the previous election.

Popular vote
PC
44.29%
Liberal
28.68%
New Democratic
26.29%
Social Credit
0.47%
Others
0.27%
Seats summary
PC
71.08%
New Democratic
19.28%
Liberal
9.64%

Results by riding

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Electoral district Candidates Incumbent
PC NDP Liberal Other
Athabasca-Lac La Biche Mike Cardinal
4,237
45.07%
Leo Piquette
3,342
35.55%
Tom Maccagno
1,791
19.05%
Leo Piquette
Banff-Cochrane Brian Evans
4,389
50.82%
Steven Scott
1,802
20.86%
Jim N. Tanner
2,411
27.91%
Greg Stevens
Barrhead Kenneth R. Kowalski
5,294
57.41%
Harold E. Wharton
1,673
18.14%
Dave Perrin
1,660
18.00%
J. Harvey Yuill (SoCred)
578
6.27%
Kenneth R. Kowalski
Bonnyville Ernie Isley
3,362
50.20%
Lori Hall
1,553
23.19%
Denis Lapierre
1,769
26.41%
Ernie Isley
Bow Valley Tom N. Musgrove
3,405
60.33%
Larry D. Kern
666
11.80%
George Timko
1,561
27.66%
Tom N. Musgrove
Calgary-Bow Bonnie Laing
3,968
34.76%
Scott Jeffrey
3,513
30.77%
Timothy Walter Bardsley
3,892
34.09%
Neil Webber
Calgary-Buffalo Kate Thrasher
3,601
31.25%
Iain Dunbar
877
7.61%
Sheldon Chumir
7,014
60.86%
Sheldon Chumir
Calgary-Currie Dennis L. Anderson
5,072
49.45%
Bruce McGuigan
1,716
16.73%
Mairi Matheson
3,434
33.48%
Dennis L. Anderson
Calgary-Egmont David John Carter
5,272
52.35%
Vinay Dey
1,864
18.51%
Clive R. Mallory
2,907
28.87%
David John Carter
Calgary-Elbow Ralph Klein
4,505
49.52%
David Jones
719
7.90%
Gilbert J. Clark
3,682
40.47%
Larry R Heather (Ind.)
174
1.91%
David J. Russell
Calgary-Fish Creek William Edward Payne
6,996
47.86%
Tom Polmear
2,071
14.17%
Wayne Gillis
5,517
37.74%
William Edward Payne
Calgary-Foothills Patricia Black
5,341
37.13%
Theresa Catherine Baxter
4,133
28.74%
Harvey Locke
4,866
33.83%
Janet Koper
Calgary-Forest Lawn Moe Amiri
3,177
35.01%
Barry Pashak
3,994
44.02%
Gene Czaprowski
1,584
17.46%
Jim Othen (Ind.)
294
3.24%
Barry Pashak
Calgary-Glenmore Dianne Mirosh
5,189
45.39%
Barry Bristman
1,197
10.47%
Brendan Dunphy
4,587
40.12%
Greg Pearson (Ind.)
437
3.82%
Dianne Mirosh
Calgary-McCall Stanley Kenneth Nelson
5,109
44.53%
Ken Richmond
3,311
28.86%
A. Giga
3,032
26.42%
Stanley Kenneth Nelson
Calgary-McKnight Mark Petros
4,704
37.91%
Roy Brown
2,371
19.11%
Yolande Gagnon
5,303
42.74%
Eric Charles Musgreave
Calgary-Millican Gordon Wells Shrake
3,840
42.93%
Bill Flookes
3,713
41.51%
Dale Muti
1,366
15.27%
Gordon Wells Shrake
Calgary-Montrose Rick Orman
5,044
54.49%
Frank Gereau
2,585
27.92%
Jamil Farhat
1,605
17.34%
Rick Orman
Calgary-Mountain View Vicky Adamson
4,171
33.22%
Robert Andrew Hawkesworth
6,469
51.53%
Kevin Murphy
1,862
14.83%
Robert Andrew Hawkesworth
Calgary-North Hill Frederick Alan Stewart
4,918
44.59%
Emily Drzymala
2,720
24.66%
Pauline Kay
3,030
27.47%
John J. Jasienczyk (Ind.)
328
2.97%
Frederick Alan Stewart
Calgary-North West Stan Cassin
6,985
41.80%
Kelly Hegg
2,281
13.65%
Frank Bruseker
7,417
44.38%
Stan Cassin
Calgary-Shaw Jim Dinning
7,412
52.81%
Gordon M. Christie
1,728
12.31%
Robert J. (Bob) Crump
4,865
34.67%
Jim Dinning
Calgary-West Elaine McCoy
6,133
46.12%
Joseph Yanchula
2,564
19.28%
Bernie Myers
4,550
34.22%
Elaine McCoy
Camrose Ken Rostad
6,494
63.16%
Bill Scotten
2,141
20.82%
Carol Ayers
1,605
15.61%
Ken Rostad
Cardston Jack Ady
3,483
74.42%
Don Ferguson
517
11.05%
Beth Wendorff
667
14.25%
Jack Ady
Chinook Shirley McClellan
3,585
70.98%
H. James Powers
765
15.15%
Mel H. Buffalo
691
13.68%
Henry Kroeger
Clover Bar Kurt Gesell
3,717
34.53%
W.H. (Skip) Gordon
3,505
32.56%
Stephen Lindop
3,533
32.82%
Walt A. Buck
Cypress-Redcliff Alan Hyland
2,514
48.87%
Rudolf Schempp
659
12.81%
Lloyd B. Robinson
1,968
38.26%
Alan Hyland
Drayton Valley Tom Thurber
4,563
45.48%
Lynne Martin
2,622
26.13%
G. (Bear) Werschler
2,826
28.17%
Shirley Cripps
Drumheller Stan Schumacher
5,049
59.07%
Sid Holt
1,658
19.40%
Roger Nelson
1,800
21.06%
Stan Schumacher
Dunvegan Glen Clegg
4,049
56.12%
Jim Gurnett
2,603
36.08%
R. Gerald Eherer
550
7.62%
Glen Clegg
Edmonton-Avonmore James Albers
3,831
30.17%
Marie Laing
5,290
41.66%
Don Massey
3,562
28.05%
Marie Laing
Edmonton-Belmont Walter R. Szwender
3,093
23.65%
Thomas Sigurdson
5,319
40.67%
Cathy Greco
4,644
35.51%
Thomas Sigurdson
Edmonton-Beverly Gary Kump
3,835
29.57%
Ed W. Ewasiuk
6,408
49.41%
Daryl Robb
2,520
19.43%
Bonny Royce (Ind.)
188
1.45%
Ed W. Ewasiuk
Edmonton-Calder Aldo De Luca
2,709
21.66%
Christie Mjolsness
5,338
42.69%
Lance D. White
4,435
35.47%
Christie Mjolsness
Edmonton-Centre Don Clarke
3,217
30.29%
William Roberts
4,440
41.80%
Mary Molloy
2,821
26.56%
William Roberts
Edmonton-Glengarry John Belzerowski
3,759
24.72%
John Younie
3,974
26.14%
Laurence Decore
7,401
48.67%
Robin Boodle (Comm.)
30
0.20%
John Younie
Edmonton-Glenora Nancy Betkowski
5,128
47.50%
George Millar
2,709
25.09%
Hal Annett
2,935
27.19%
Nancy Betkowski
Edmonton-Gold Bar Cathy Wyatt
4,381
30.29%
Chris Tomaschuk
2,170
15.00%
Bettie Hewes
7,833
54.16%
Naomi Rankin (Comm.)
55
0.38%
Bettie Hewes
Edmonton-Highlands Ziad N. Jaber
2,415
27.28%
Pam Barrett
4,997
56.44%
Ken Kozak
1,673
18.90%
Pam Barrett
Edmonton-Jasper Place Leslie Gordon Young
4,503
31.64%
John McInnis
4,966
34.90%
Karen Leibovici
4,747
33.36%
Leslie Gordon Young
Edmonton-Kingsway Allen Wasnea
2,818
28.92%
Alex McEachern
4,314
44.28%
Joan Cowling
2,585
26.53%
Alex McEachern
Edmonton-Meadowlark Joan Majeski
4,421
31.24%
William A. (Bill) Mullen
1,829
12.92%
Grant Mitchell
7,877
55.66%
Grant Mitchell
Edmonton-Mill Woods Bas Roopnarine
3,475
24.73%
Gerry Gibeault
5,824
41.44%
Murray W. Scambler
4,729
33.65%
Gerry Gibeault
Edmonton-Norwood Dan Papirnik
1,519
20.64%
Ray Martin
4,229
57.47%
Luis C. Baptista
1,594
21.66%
Ray Martin
Edmonton-Parkallen Doug Main
6,169
40.06%
Jim Selby
4,979
32.33%
Nadene Thomas
4,203
27.29%
Neil S. Crawford
Edmonton-Strathcona Jack Scott
3,724
28.86%
Gordon S.B. Wright
6,696
51.89%
Philip Lister
2,437
18.88%
Gordon S.B. Wright
Edmonton-Whitemud Donald Ross Getty
8,005
43.28%
Nao Fernando
2,099
11.35%
Percy Wickman
8,350
45.14%
Donald Ross Getty
Fort McMurray Norman A. Weiss
4,245
49.30%
Ann Dort-Maclean
2,740
31.82%
James Carbery
1,606
18.65%
Norman A. Weiss
Grande Prairie Bob Elliott
5,319
52.52%
Evelyn Vardalas
2,696
26.62%
Irv Macklin
1,611
15.91%
Murray Gauvreau (SoCred)
482
4.76%
Bob Elliott
Highwood Don Tannas
5,481
60.00%
Janis Belgum
1,591
17.42%
Don Dearle
2,024
22.16%
Harry E. Alger
Innisfail Gary Severtson
4,169
57.38%
Larry Whaley
1,294
17.81%
Bruce A. Jackson
1,761
24.24%
Nigel I. Pengelly
Lacombe Ron A. Moore
4,014
59.71%
Cliff Reid
1,217
18.10%
Roger Young
1,467
21.82%
Ron A. Moore
Lesser Slave Lake Pearl M. Calahasen
3,249
47.51%
Philip G.S. Lukken
1,294
18.92%
Denise C. Wahlstrom
2,286
33.43%
Larry R. Shaben
Lethbridge-East Archibald Dick Johnston
4,993
49.17%
Sylvia A. Campbell
2,170
21.37%
John I. Boras
2,973
29.28%
Archibald Dick Johnston
Lethbridge-West John Gogo
4,741
45.33%
Joyce Green
2,483
23.74%
Rhonda Ruston
3,210
30.69%
John Gogo
Little Bow Raymond Albert Speaker
3,907
79.43%
Keith Ford
426
8.66%
Elzien Schopman
579
11.77%
Raymond Albert Speaker
Lloydminster Doug Cherry
3,584
66.75%
Gordon E. Swaters
849
15.81%
Steve McLachlin
923
17.19%
Doug Cherry
Macleod LeRoy Fjordbotten
4,459
67.20%
Mike Dawson
1,292
19.47%
Darrell Piehl
856
12.90%
LeRoy Fjordbotten
Medicine Hat James Horsman
6,465
40.88%
Wally Regehr
4,088
25.85%
Garth Vallely
5,213
32.96%
James Horsman
Olds-Didsbury Roy Brassard
4,960
60.01%
Tom Monto
842
10.19%
Garfield Marks
1,182
14.30%
Ray Young (SoCred)
1249
15.11%
Roy Brassard
Peace River Al (Boomer) Adair
3,749
57.62%
Adele Gale Boucher
1,613
24.79%
Erich Wahl
1,127
17.32%
Al (Boomer) Adair
Pincher Creek-Crowsnest Frederick Deryl Bradley
3,262
52.56%
Mike Cooper
2,119
34.14%
Stan Stoklosa
811
13.07%
Frederick Deryl Bradley
Ponoka-Rimbey Halvar C. Jonson
3,729
59.81%
Doug Hart
1,667
26.74%
Ervan Stobbe
808
12.96%
Halvar C. Jonson
Red Deer-North Stockwell Day
3,652
48.10%
Gerry Clayton
1,427
18.80%
Bernie Fritze
2,260
29.77%
Cory Lanterman (Ind.)
231
3.04%
Stockwell Day
Red Deer-South John Oldring
4,637
49.39%
Linda Ross
1,840
19.60%
Roxanne V. Prior
2,874
30.61%
John Oldring
Redwater-Andrew Steve Zarusky
4,366
52.83%
Chris Ewasiuk
2,359
28.55%
Dennis Holowaychuk
1,525
18.45%
Steve Zarusky
Rocky Mountain House Ty Lund
4,392
59.59%
Dolly (Martin) Brown
1,727
23.43%
Bob Paston
1,224
16.61%
John Murray Campbell
Sherwood Park Peter Elzinga
6,462
46.60%
Ted Paszek
3,088
22.27%
John Convey
4,299
31.00%
Peter Elzinga
Smoky River Walter Paszkowski
3,575
50.82%
Bill Termeer
1,721
24.47%
Duane Dutka
1,398
19.87%
Roy Housworth (SoCred)
332
4.72%
Marvin Moore
St. Albert Dick Fowler
6,590
45.20%
Cheryl Wharton
3,552
24.36%
Len Bracko
4,278
29.34%
Archie Baldwin (Ind.)
147
1.01%
Bryan Strong
St. Paul John Drobot
2,931
45.95%
Victor Chrapko
1,124
17.62%
Paul Langevin
2,304
36.12%
John Drobot
Stettler Brian C. Downey
3,875
57.75%
Fred J. Rappel
1,089
16.23%
Frank Pickering
1,731
25.80%
Brian C. Downey
Stony Plain Jim Heron
4,604
36.54%
Stan Woloshyn
4,699
37.29%
Dan Fitze
2,732
21.68%
John Torringa (SoCred)
557
4.42%
Jim Heron
Taber-Warner Robert Bogle
4,932
73.44%
Charlene Vickers
782
11.64%
Patrick (Pat) Flanagan
981
14.61%
Robert Bogle
Three Hills Connie Osterman
4,986
56.45%
Fred Mertz
1,851
20.96%
Peter Burch
1,245
14.10%
Poul Wesch (SoCred)
741
8.39%
Connie Osterman
Vegreville Gordon Miller
3,806
41.61%
Derek Fox
4,865
53.19%
Frederick G. Paasche
448
4.90%
Derek Fox
Vermilion-Viking Steve West
4,086
63.44%
Grant Bergman
1,078
16.74%
Greg Michaud
1,252
19.44%
Steve West
Wainwright Robert A. (Butch) Fischer
4,009
67.54%
Willy Kelch
1,182
19.91%
Joseph A. Vermette
726
12.23%
Robert A. (Butch) Fischer
West Yellowhead Ian Reid
3,109
36.72%
Jerry J. Doyle
3,989
47.12%
Sharron Johnstone
1,103
13.03%
Harvey Ball (Ind.)
240
2.83%
Ian Reid
Westlock-Sturgeon Leo Seguin
4,958
41.08%
Tom Turner
1,696
14.05%
Nicholas Taylor
5,401
44.75%
Nicholas Taylor
Wetaskiwin-Leduc Donald H. Sparrow
5,761
46.59%
Bruce Hinkley
3,133
25.34%
George Carrier
3,446
27.87%
Donald H. Sparrow
Whitecourt Peter Trynchy
3,877
49.72%
Gwen E. Symington
1,456
18.67%
Jurgen Preugschas
2,432
31.19%
Peter Trynchy

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Election Alberta (July 28, 2008). 2008 General Report (PDF). p. 158. Retrieved April 29, 2011.

Further reading

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