What are Constituencies in Alberta?
What are Nominations in Alberta?
In Alberta a constituency is an area which has been mapped by a group of people, generally presided over by a judge and others appointed by the provincial government of the day to define an electoral territory. The candidate chosen by the voters during provincial elections serves as the Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) in Edmonton. There are eighty seven [provincial] constituencies in Alberta. These constituencies differ in geographic size depending upon the population living within their boundaries. The towns of Okotoks and High River as well as a great portion of the Municipal District of Foothills # 31 are located within the Highwood Constituency. It should be noted that a provincial electoral constituency is separate from a federal electoral riding, which, although a voting territory, encompasses a different geographic territory, and elects a Member of Parliament (MP) and serves in the federal government in Ottawa. What are nominations? Nominations are held to determine who will represent a political party to stand for election in any forthcoming provincial election in Alberta. These elections occur at the end of a four year government mandate from the previous election, or after a government falls as a result of losing a non- confidence motion, or if the governing party decides to call an election on its own (known as a “snap” election). Referencing the Highwood Progressive Conservatives Association (PC) rules and assuming that other political parties have similar sets of rules, there is a nomination procedure that is followed. There is a PC board of directors consisting of members holding current memberships which decides on a date for nominations to commence. The board then appoints a “Nomination Committee” which will perform the following duties:
1) Advertise in the two local newspapers for potential candidates who wish to be nominated to represent the party for MLA in the next election. 2) Said public notice shall provide for a period of not less than seven (7) days nor more than fourteen (14) days between the date of the appearance of the public notice and the close of nominations. 3) Said public notice shall provide for a period of not less than seven (7) days nor more than fourteen (14) days from the close of nominations to the date of the nomination election. For those who wish to be nominated, must have the following qualifications; 1) Be a Canadian citizen in good standing; 2) Be eighteen years of age or older; 3) Have continuously resided in Alberta for six months; 4) Provide evidence of eligibility satisfactory to the Nomination Committee; 5) Make a non-refundable deposit of $500.00 to the Constituency Association 6) Provide a photocopy of their current membership; 7) Must provide a listing of a minimum number of twenty five (25)signatures, or however more the Nomination Commmittee requires, from party members supporting the candidate’s nomination. And, further a) those members must live within the boundaries of the constituency; b) be a Canadian citizen in good standing; c) be 16 years of age or older; d) provide details of their location of residency in the Highwood Constituency ( i.e. address).
Should there be only one person seeking the nomination to be a candidate for a political party, then, if approved by the board of directors, that person would be nominated by acclamation.
In the event that there are more than one nominee, the nominating committee may decide to hold a forum at which the nominees may be offered an opportunity to speak before the party members.
The Constituency Association board of directors set the date for the nomination election. On the day of nomination only party members may vote. The process is that procedure followed by our democratic statutes in Alberta, with polling stations located in designated areas, with a Returning Officer and other required officials. After closing of the voting, the ballots are counted continuing until a winner is declared with 50% plus 1 of the votes cast. The winner from this nomination will stand as the party’s candidate in the next provincial election. As stated above, only party members who qualify are allowed to vote in the nomination process.
To vote in the provincial election, those with the following qualifications may vote; 1) be Canadian citizen; 2) be a resident of Alberta 3) having resided in the constituency for six months (6) or longer; 4) be sixteen years (16) of age or older.
Those voters, who are qualified to vote, may vote for any candidate of any political party of their choice. All eligible residents are encouraged to vote for their preferred candidate. In that election, the candidate who receives the most votes, regardless of the political party, will be the next MLA representing the constituency.
We are very fortunate that we, as citizens of this great province and country, have the freedom of choosing our nominee and also voting for our chosen candidate on the day of the provincial election. Voting is a privilege and should not be taken for granted. It is something that we should think of as our civic duty.
