1986 Alberta general election

The 1986 Alberta general election was held on May 8, 1986, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.

1986 Alberta general election

May 8, 1986 (1986-05-08)
83 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta 42 seats were needed for a majority
Turnout	47.25%
Majority party Minority party   Leader Don Getty Ray Martin Party Progressive Conservative New Democratic Leader since November 1, 1985 November 10, 1984 Leader's seat Edmonton-Whitemud Edmonton-Norwood Last election 75 seats, 62.3% 2 seats, 18.7% Seats before 75 2 Seats won 61 16 Seat change 14 14 Popular vote 366,783 208,561 Percentage 51.4% 29.2% Swing 10.9% 10.5%   Third party Fourth party   LIB REP Leader Nicholas Taylor Raymond Speaker Party Liberal Representative Leader since March 2, 1974 1982 Leader's seat Westlock-Sturgeon Little Bow Last election 0 seats, 1.8% pre-creation Seats before 0 2 Seats won 4 2 Seat change 4 ±0 Popular vote 87,239 36,656 Percentage 12.2% 5.1% Swing 10.4% —
Premier before election Don Getty Progressive Conservative Premier after election Don Getty Progressive Conservative

Peter Lougheed, who had created the modern Alberta Progressive Conservatives, led it to power in 1971, and served as premier of Alberta for fourteen years, retired from politics in 1985. The PC Party elected Don Getty as its new leader.

Getty was not able to gain the confidence of Albertans as Lougheed had, and the party's popular vote fell by ten percentage points. The PCs were still, however, able to win a fifth term in government, with over half the votes in the province, and 61 of the 83 seats in the legislature. While the PC's continued to dominate in Calgary and rural Alberta, unlike previous PC victories the party was badly routed in the provincial capital Edmonton where it won only four seats.

The New Democratic Party, now led by Ray Martin, was able to make itself the focus of opposition to the PC government, winning almost 30% of the vote, and sixteen seats in the legislature (up from two in the 1982 election), mostly in Edmonton where they became the dominant political party. This was a salutary result after the tragic death of its leader, Grant Notley, in 1984. It would again take 16 seats in the next election. These two elections were the NDP's best result in any election until it won government in the 2015 election.

The Liberal Party of Nicholas Taylor returned to the legislature for the first time since 1969 with four seats. Two seats were won by former Social Credit members who had formed the Representative Party of Alberta after winning re-election in 1982 as independents.

Western Canada Concept, a western separatist party that had won almost 12% of the vote in 1982, collapsed under the leadership of Jack Ramsay, who later served as a Reform Party of Canada Member of Parliament.

The Social Credit Party of Alberta nominated no candidates. The party had governed Alberta for 36 years before getting bounced out of power by the Tories in 1971.

The 22-member opposition in the Alberta Legislature was the largest since 1971. Although the opposition MLAs were still outnumbered three to one by Conservative MLAs, they presented a significant competitive voice to the dominant Conservative Party. The NDP, long the most able, visible and popular opposition group in the Legislature now were granted status of Official Opposition. The existence of the moderately large opposition is counter to the pattern of Alberta both before and after of having minuscule opposition in the Legislature, one party dominance for a long period followed by landslide in favour of a new party.

Thus the 1986 Legislature was part of a break, short lived as it happened, in the usual pattern of Alberta politics that some describe as ideologically conservative, anachronistic, odd and unpredictable. It was thought by some that Alberta politics was beginning to resemble that of Canada's other provinces.

UofA prof Allan Tupper said the rise of a new, competent opposition was a healthy development in Alberta's politics and would likely contribute positively to Alberta's economic and social well-being.

However, in 1993, the NDP caucus was obliterated, and the Liberal became the Official Opposition. And Conservatives received 61 percent of the seats (although with only 45 percent of the votes) and thus still held overwhelming dominance in the Legislature, with a three to two ratio of seats over the opposition.

Results

Overall voter turnout was 47.25%.

Party		Party leader	Candidates	Seats			Popular vote
				1982	Elected	% Change	#	%	% Change
	Progressive Conservative	Don Getty	83	75	61	-18.7%	366,783	51.40%	-10.88%
	New Democratic	Ray Martin	83	2	16	+700%	208,561	29.22%	+10.47%
	Liberal	Nicholas Taylor	63	-	4		87,239	12.22%	+10.41%
	Representative	Raymond Speaker	46	*	2	*	36,656	5.15%	*
	Independent		20	2	-	-100%	6,134	0.86%	-3.01%
	Western Canada Concept	Jack Ramsay	20	-	-	-	4,615	0.65%	-11.11%
	Confederation of Regions	Elmer Knutson	6	*	-	*	2,866	0.40%	*
	Heritage	Mike Pawlus	6	*	-	*	601	0.08%	*
	Communist	David Wallis	6	-	-	-	199	0.03%	-0.01%
Total			333	79	83	-	713,654	100%
Source: Elections Alberta

Note:

* Party did not nominate candidates in the previous election.

Popular vote PC   51.40% New Democratic   29.22% Liberal   12.22% Representative   5.15% Others   2.01%

Seats summary PC   73.49% New Democratic   19.28% Liberal   4.82% Representative   2.41%

Results by riding

Electoral district	Candidates										Incumbent
	PC		NDP		Liberal		Representative		Other
Athabasca-Lac La Biche		Bill Kostiw 3,098 35.97%		Leo Piquette 3,372 39.15%		Don J. Corse 1,942 22.55%				Peter Mihailuk (WCC) 184 2.14%
Banff-Cochrane		Greg Stevens 4,536 65.83%		Ed Fisher 1,452 21.07%				Betty Ann Stimson 436 6.33%		Bill Deacon (Ind.) 444 6.44%		Greg Stevens
Barrhead		Kenneth R. Kowalski 5,092 57.74%		Larry E. McConnell 2,303 26.11%		Mary Lou Ehrenholz 637 7.22%		Ferne Nutt 235 2.66%		Herb Brent (Ind.) 539 6.11%		Kenneth R. Kowalski
Bonnyville		Ernie Isley 3,630 65.24%		Thomas J. Tucker 1,663 29.89%						Vern McCaig (WCC) 256 4.60%		Ernie Isley
Bow Valley		Tom N. Musgrove 3,395 57.82%		Vanore Voaklander 205 3.49%		Horace Andrew Olson 1,046 17.81%		Martha Andrews 1,220 20.78%				Tom N. Musgrove
Calgary-Bow		Neil Webber 5,392 55.84%		Scott Jeffrey 3,336 34.54%		Annyteh K. Pezuolla 611 6.33%				Douglas Attfield (Her.) 269 2.80%		Neil Webber
Calgary-Buffalo		Brian Craig Lee 3,437 34.54%		George Chatsis 1,089 10.94%		Sheldon Chumir 5,242 52.68%		Colin Svendsen 153 1.54%				Brian Craig Lee
Calgary-Currie		Dennis L. Anderson 5,483 59.52%		Glenn Miller 1,654 17.95%		Rork Hilford 1,842 20.00%				Peter Grizans (Ind.) 219 2.38%		Dennis L. Anderson
Calgary-Egmont		David John Carter 5,781 66.90%		Tom Chesterman 1,740 20.14%		Bernie C. Tanner 1,102 12.75%						David John Carter
Calgary-Elbow		David J. Russell 4,515 65.16%		Susan C. Liddy 1,119 16.15%		Frank Wishlow 1,268 18.30%						David J. Russell
Calgary-Fish Creek		William Edward Payne 7,852 69.41%		Kerin Spaargaren 1,882 16.64%		Lea Russell 1,553 13.73%						William Edward Payne
Calgary-Foothills		Janet Koper 6,111 55.29%		Thora Miessner 2,572 23.27%		Len Wolstenholme 1,741 15.75%		J. Allen Howard 623 5.64%				Janet Koper
Calgary-Forest Lawn		Moe Amiri 2,410 34.55%		Barry Pashak 2,492 35.73%		Gene Czaprowski 1,111 15.93%		Douglas Williams 237 3.40%		Mikey Graham (Ind.) 271 3.90% Gerald K. Lee (Ind.) 224 3.22% Independent Dorothy Bohdan (Ind.) 109 1.57% Independent Jim Othen (Ind.) 67 0.96% Bruce Potter (Comm.) 28 0.40%		John Zaozirny
Calgary-Glenmore		Dianne Mirosh 5,718 60.18%		Kelly Hegg 1,337 14.07%		Lois Cummings 2,033 21.40%				Larry R Heather (Ind.) 384 4.04%		Hugh L. Planche
Calgary-McCall		Stanley Kenneth Nelson 5,418 62.99%		Ken Richmond 2,435 28.31%		John J. Gleason 730 8.49%						Stanley Kenneth Nelson
Calgary-McKnight		Eric Charles Musgreave 4,823 55.01%		Sandra Botting 2,610 29.77%		Carol Reimer 1,307 14.91%						Eric Charles Musgreave
Calgary-Millican		Gordon Wells Shrake 3,204 47.92%		David Davis Swan 2,512 37.57%		James Jude Smith 588 8.79%		Barry M. Bernard 148 2.21%		Dave Wereschuk (Ind.) 209 3.13%		Gordon Wells Shrake
Calgary-Montrose		Rick Orman 4,395 59.63%		Frank Gereau 2,035 27.61%		Roly Thomas 710 9.63%		Adrian C. Janssens 218 2.96%
Calgary-Mountain View		Jim Prentice 5,267 43.39%		Robert Andrew Hawkesworth 5,524 45.51%		Doug Rae 1,139 9.38%				Tom Erhart (Ind.) 172 1.42%		Bohdan Zip
Calgary-North Hill		Frederick Alan Stewart 5,545 54.26%		Noel Jantzie 2,940 28.77%		Pauline Kay 1,189 11.64%		Tom Gorman 511 5.00%				Ed Oman
Calgary-North West		Stan Cassin 7,775 62.40%		Tom Schepens 3,376 27.09%		Dean Biollo 1,284 10.30%						Sheila Embury
Calgary-Shaw		Jim Dinning 6,694 61.38%		Len Curle 1,166 10.69%		Brendan Dunphy 2,727 25.01%		Byron L. Chenger 295 2.71%
Calgary-West		Elaine McCoy 6,846 64.33%		Joseph Yanchula 2,354 22.12%		George Francom 1,390 13.06%						Peter Lougheed
Camrose		Ken Rostad 5,312 54.91%		Gordon Ekelund 2,269 23.45%		Ralph Tate 758 7.84%		J.A. (Jim) Watson 697 7.20%		Jack Ramsay (WCC) 634 6.55%		Gordon Stromberg
Cardston		Jack Ady 2,679 60.08%		Cynthia Cunningham 389 8.72%						Steve Pinchak (Ind.) 1,376 30.86%		John Thompson
Chinook		Henry Kroeger 3,796 79.35%		Lavera Gladys Creasy 959 20.05%								Henry Kroeger
Clover Bar		Muriel Abdurahman 2,811 27.71%		Ken Robinson 2,085 20.55%		Barry Shandro 444 4.38%		Walt A. Buck 4,795 47.26%				Walt A. Buck
Cypress-Redcliff		Alan Hyland 2,482 52.40%		Lew Toole 558 11.78%				Lloyd B. Robinson 1,682 35.51%
Drayton Valley		Shirley Cripps 5,330 61.00%		Lawrence Dublenko 2,275 26.04%		Phil J. Gibeau 594 6.80%		Ron Williams 301 3.44%		Gordon Reid (WCC) 219 2.51%		Shirley Cripps
Drumheller		Stan Schumacher 4,906 60.97%		Sid Holt 1,154 14.34%				Norman A. Stanger 1,729 21.49%		Peter Hope (Ind.) 244 3.03%		Lewis (Mickey) Clark
Dunvegan		Glen Clegg 4,146 51.05%		Jim Gurnett 3,944 48.56%
Edmonton-Avonmore		Horst A. Schmid 4,140 41.17%		Marie Laing 4,234 42.10%		Michael Brings 1,117 11.11%		Karl R. Badke 416 4.14%		Mike Walker (WCC) 140 1.39%		Horst A. Schmid
Edmonton-Belmont		Walter R. Szwender 3,160 30.19%		Thomas Sigurdson 4,491 42.91%		Pat Sembaliuk 2,486 23.75%		Bette Davies 198 1.89%		Joe Kovacs (Her.) 67 0.64% David Wallis (Comm.) 39 0.37%		Walter R. Szwender
Edmonton-Beverly		Bill W. Diachuk 3,917 34.30%		Ed W. Ewasiuk 6,699 58.66%		Jim Shinkaruk 784 6.87%						Bill W. Diachuk
Edmonton-Calder		Tony Falcone 2,910 28.82%		Christie Mjolsness 5,114 50.65%		Al Iafolla 1,925 19.07%				Dave Draginda (WCC) 111 1.10% Martin Robbert (Comm.) 26 0.26%		Tom Chambers
Edmonton-Centre		Mary LeMessurier 3,816 40.21%		William Roberts 3,976 41.89%		Douglas Haydock 1,384 14.58%				Fred Marshall (WCC) 182 1.92% Leonard Stahl (Ind.) 103 1.09%		Mary LeMessurier
Edmonton-Glengarry		Ihor Broda 3,720 35.26%		John Younie 5,371 50.91%		Hugh W. Burgess 1,191 11.29%		Lou Peterson 147 1.39%		Herb Lang (WCC) 99 0.94%		Rollie Cook
Edmonton-Glenora		Nancy Betkowski 5,193 52.33%		Jim Bell 2,918 29.40%		Colin P. McDonald 1,352 13.62%		C.A. Douglas Ringrose 312 3.14%		Alice Elaine Moody (WCC) 133 1.34%		Lou Hyndman
Edmonton-Gold Bar		Alois Paul Hiebert 4,150 28.24%		Randy Morse 4,142 28.18%		Bettie Hewes 6,378 43.40%						Alois Paul Hiebert
Edmonton-Highlands		David T. King 3,507 42.37%		Pam Barrett 4,159 50.25%		Naseer A. Chaudhary 417 5.04%		Todd R.C. Ross 83 1.00%		Naomi Rankin (Comm.) 51 0.62% Cec Garfin (Her.) 30 0.36%		David T. King
Edmonton-Jasper Place		Leslie Gordon Young 4,357 40.01%		Vair Clendenning 4,286 39.36%		Karen Leibovici 1,947 17.88%		Michael P. Astle 157 1.44%		Curtis Long (WCC) 122 1.12%		Leslie Gordon Young
Edmonton-Kingsway		Allen Wasnea 3,491 38.15%		Alex McEachern 4,669 51.02%		Patrick Reid 896 9.79%				Bowden John Zachara (Her.) 78 0.85%		Carl Paproski
Edmonton-Meadowlark		Gerard Joseph Amerongen 4,222 36.55%		Muriel Stanley-Venne 2,315 20.04%		Grant Mitchell 4,913 42.54%		R. (Bob) Genis-Bell 176 1.52%		Norm Kyle (WCC) 90 0.78%		Gerard Joseph Amerongen
Edmonton-Mill Woods		Milt Pahl 4,004 41.87%		Gerry Gibeault 4,103 42.90%		Philip Lister 861 9.00%		Richard Mather 445 4.65%		Mike Pawlus (Her.) 132 1.38%		Milt Pahl
Edmonton-Norwood		Catherine Chichak 1,942 25.56%		Ray Martin 5,272 69.38%		David R. Long 359 4.72%						Ray Martin
Edmonton-Parkallen		Neil S. Crawford 5,612 44.43%		Jim Russell 5,310 42.04%		Jerry Paschen 1,100 8.71%		James Carson 593 4.69%				Neil S. Crawford
Edmonton-Strathcona		Julian Koziak 4,467 37.47%		Gordon S.B. Wright 6,443 54.04%		Peter Schneider 788 6.61%		Shane Gordon Venner 102 0.86%		Dexter B. Dombro (WCC) 72 0.60% Robin Boodle (Comm.) 26 0.22%		Julian Koziak
Edmonton-Whitemud		Donald Ross Getty 7,436 57.58%		Tony Higgins 3,875 30.01%		Eric Wolfman 1,135 8.79%		Bert Beinert 366 2.83%		Walter Stack (WCC) 92 0.71%		Keith Alexander
Fort McMurray		Norman A. Weiss 4,152 48.49%		Ann Dort Maclean 3,391 39.61%		Shane Davis 1,010 11.80%
Grande Prairie		Bob Elliott 6,239 61.43%		Bernie Desrosiers 3,095 30.47%				Andy Haugen 557 5.48%		Roy Housworth (Ind.) 240 2.36%		Bob Elliott
Highwood		Harry E. Alger 5,336 66.32%		William C. McCutcheon 1,054 13.10%				Murray Meszaros 811 10.08%				Harry E. Alger
Innisfail		Nigel I. Pengelly 4,309 65.83%		Tony Mazurkewich 1,033 15.78%				Raymond C. Reckseidler 411 6.28%		George Conway-Brown (WCC) 472 7.21% Jack Lynass (C.O.R.) 303 4.64%		Nigel I. Pengelly
Lacombe		Ron A. Moore 4,079 77.71%		Ken Ling 1,151 21.93%								Ron A. Moore
Lesser Slave Lake		Larry R. Shaben 2,529 56.90%		Bert Dube 1,892 42.56%								Larry R. Shaben
Lethbridge-East		Archibald Dick Johnston 4,567 51.98%		Sylvia A. Campbell 2,188 24.90%		John I. Boras 2,009 22.87%						Archibald Dick Johnston
Lethbridge-West		John Gogo 3,999 48.50%		Ed Webking 2,006 24.33%		Al Barnhill 1,579 19.15%		Douglas Pitt 532 6.45%		Nora Galenzoski (C.O.R.) 106 1.29%		John Gogo
Little Bow		Cliff Wright 1,805 30.25%		Christina Tomaschuk 137 2.30%		Dean Oseen (C.O.R.) 158 2.65% Ben Loman 65 1.09%		Raymond Albert Speaker 3,791 63.54%				Raymond Albert Speaker
Lloydminster		Doug Cherry 3,580 69.23%		Gary McCorquodale 1,567 30.30%								James Edgar Miller
Macleod		LeRoy Fjordbotten 4,054 65.93%		Laurie Fiedler 759 12.34%				Ed Shimek 1,303 21.19%				LeRoy Fjordbotten
Medicine Hat		James Horsman 7,717 65.72%		Stan Chmelyk 1,373 11.69%		David J. Carter 2,624 22.35%						James Horsman
Olds-Didsbury		Roy Brassard 5,204 66.36%		Tom Monto 823 10.49%						Elmer Knutson (C.O.R.) 1,785 22.85%		Stephen Stiles
Peace River		Al (Boomer) Adair 3,775 59.81%		Adele Gale Boucher 2,057 32.59%				Joseph (Little Joe) Kessler 291 4.61%		Anna Pidruchney (Ind.) 174 2.76%		Al (Boomer) Adair
Pincher Creek-Crowsnest		Frederick Deryl Bradley 3,134 51.35%		Mike Cooper 2,948 48.30%								Frederick Deryl Bradley
Ponoka-Rimbey		Halvar C. Jonson 3,601 61.94%		Pat Byers 1,138 19.57%		Mel H. Buffalo 349 6.00%				Warren Bloomquist (WCC) 701 12.06%
Red Deer-North		Stockwell Day 2,808 41.48%		Bruce Beck 1,279 18.89%		Donald Campbell 2,372 35.04%		Elvin Janzen 153 2.26%		Brian Flewwelling (Ind.) 146 2.16%
Red Deer-South		John Oldring 4,023 56.09%		Connie Barnaby 1,667 23.24%		Lionel Lizee 1,455 20.29%
Redwater-Andrew		Steve Zarusky 3,539 46.55%		Denis Bobocel 2,761 36.31%		Adrianus Kuiper 309 4.06%		Michael Senych 981 12.90%				George Topolnisky
Rocky Mountain House		John Murray Campbell 3,844 53.19%		Dolly (Martin) Brown 1,266 17.52%		Bob Paston 622 8.61%		Lavern J. Ahlstrom 1,042 14.42%		Art Carritt (C.O.R.) 436 6.05%		John Murray Campbell
Sherwood Park		Peter Elzinga 6,377 56.41%		Ted Paszek 3,183 28.16%		Steven Lindop 1,541 13.63%		Ernie Townsend 196 1.73%
Smoky River		Marvin Moore 4,793 64.68%		Martin Cree 1,546 20.86%		Colin Nash 272 3.67%		Conrad LeBlanc 773 10.43%				Marvin Moore
St. Albert		Myrna Fyfe 4,580 40.70%		Bryan Strong 4,700 41.77%		Thomas Henry Droege 745 6.62%		William Ernest Jamison 1,215 10.80%				Myrna Fyfe
St. Paul		John Drobot 3,018 47.82%		Martin Naundorf 1,429 22.64%		George Michaud 463 7.34%		Roland F. Rocque 1,380 21.87%				John Drobot
Stettler		Brian C. Downey 3,938 57.68%		Fred J. Rappel 1,058 15.50%		Red Peeples 1,508 22.09%				Iris Bourne (WCC) 308 4.51%		Graham L. Harle
Stony Plain		Jim Heron 4,535 43.58%		Rick Hardy 3,046 29.27%		Ed Wilson 1,285 12.35%		Ernest Clintberg 1,343 12.90%		J. Richard Dougherty (WCC) 186 1.79%		William Frederick Purdy
Taber-Warner		Robert Bogle 4,483 66.75%		Jim Renfrow 756 11.26%				John Voorhorst 1,442 21.47%				Robert Bogle
Three Hills		Connie Osterman 5,924 83.20%		Vernal Poole 1,169 16.42%								Connie Osterman
Vegreville		Ron Rudkowsky 3,328 38.82%		Derek Fox 3,903 45.53%		John A. Sawiak 174 2.03%		Allen Antoniuk 1,150 13.42%				John S. Batiuk
Vermilion-Viking		Steve West 4,228 71.36%		Mervin Stephenson 1,671 28.20%								Tom Lysons
Wainwright		Robert A. (Butch) Fischer 4,244 68.44%		Willy Kelch 1,106 17.84%		Joseph A. Vermette 365 5.89%				Allen Abrassart (WCC) 475 7.66%		Robert A. (Butch) Fischer
West Yellowhead		Ian Reid 3,207 44.73%		Phil Oakes 3,005 41.92%		Laurie Switzer 749 10.45%				Lorraine Oberg (WCC) 187 2.61%
Westlock-Sturgeon		Lawrence Kluthe 4,049 34.84%		Bruce Lennon 1,996 17.17%		Nicholas Taylor 4,523 38.91%		Tom Carleton 911 7.84%		Adam Hauch (C.O.R.) 78 0.67% Laurent St. Denis (Comm.) 29 0.25% Stan Pearson (Her.) 25 0.22%
Wetaskiwin-Leduc		Donald H. Sparrow 5,823 55.57%		M. (Dick) Devries 3,061 29.21%		Kathleen Crone 740 7.06%		Harold L. Schneider 488 4.66%		W.L. (Bud) Iverson (WCC) 208 1.99% John Tolsma (Ind.) 130 1.24%		Donald H. Sparrow
Whitecourt		Peter Trynchy 4,038 54.07%		Richard Davies 1,349 18.06%		Rick Allen 459 6.15%		Merv Zadderey 1,611 21.57%				Peter Trynchy

See also

• List of Alberta political parties

Further reading

• Byers, R. B., ed. (1990). Canadian Annual Review of Politics and Public Affairs, 1986. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. ISBN 9781442671997.