Are you one of the 45 out of every 100 Albertan that will allow 24% of the eligible voters to decide who will determine which party will become the government?
In 2012 only 55% of eligible voters voted and that was 15% higher than the two previous elections. In 2012 Redford swept to power with 44% of those that decided to vote. In 2008 only 40% of eligible voters actually voted and the Progressive Party took 73 seats even though a majority of voters voted for another party! Currently Alberta ranks last in Canada in voter turn out! Maybe that is why Alberta has had one party in power for over the past 44 years!
Currently the polls indicate that 15 to 20 percent of the voters remain undecided. Generally, that indicates a large number of voters will stay at home instead of exercising their right to vote.
For the first time in eons Alberta voters will have several viable choices. On one end of the spectrum is the New Democratic Party (NDP) and on the other end the Wildrose Party with the Progressive Conservatives (PC) trying to be a centralist party.
Recently I read someone referring the political parties of Alberta to a family. The oldest son was the PC who has been the one everyone looked up to. The Liberals were the middle son who no one pays attention to and the Wildrose was the youngest son who had limited experience but had the ability to get the attention of adults. The weird uncle in the family is the NDP who comes up with ideas that don’t necessary follow what everyone else is doing. The Green Party and Alberta Party are the two distant cousins who are nice when they visit but we don’t know that much about them.
Former Speaker of the US House, Tip O’Neill once said that, “all politics are local.” Questions like how will candidates that want to represent you will ensure that the new schools being build in Leduc and Beaumont will be staffed considering the current government’s freeze on hiring and local board’s reserve funds? How will they push for approval and funding of the 65th Ave extension in the near future? What do they perceive their role in Edmonton’s annexation proposal will be? These are just some of the questions that affect the growth and development of our community depended on the views and attitudes of the government in power.
Tonight, April 30th, the candidates for Leduc-Beaumont will partake in a forum hosted by the Leduc Regional Chamber of Commerce at the Maclab Centre from 7 to 8:30pm. It will be an opportunity to ask questions that really matter to you.
Today you have an opportunity to help shape the government of tomorrow but that will depend on what you do on May 5th!