More than 85,000 people eligible to vote in Alberta NDP leadership race; McGowan bows out

The Alberta NDP’s membership has increased by more than five times since December. The announcement comes as one of the people vying for the party’s leadership makes the decision to bow out of the race.

On Sunday evening, the party revealed that 85,144 members will be eligible to vote in the Alberta NDP leadership race, which is slated for June.

That number is a huge jump from the 16,224 members the party had as of Dec. 31, 2023.

“This leadership race is an historic moment for the Alberta NDP. Voters from all walks of life and all regions of the province joined the Alberta NDP because they are excited to support our party in forming the next government,” said Amanda Freistadt, chief returning officer for the Alberta NDP.

“The largest number of NDP members in Alberta’s history will be eligible to vote. We look forward to a high voter turnout given the energy and enthusiasm the race has attracted.”

3:13 Alberta NDP membership doubles since Nenshi entered the leadership race, Pancholi drops out

The party began looking for a new leader after Rachel Notley announced in January she would be stepping down from the role.

Up until Monday morning there were five people vying to become the party’s leader: former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi, Calgary-Mountain View MLA Kathleen Ganley, Edmonton-Glenora MLA Sarah Hoffman, Edmonton-Rutherford MLA Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse and Alberta Federation of Labour leader Gil McGowan.

In a news release Monday, McGowan announced he “made the hard decision” to suspend his leadership campaign. He said paying the final installment of the $60,000 entry fee “has proven too much for me.”

“You can rest assured that I will continue to fight the UCP’s unacceptable agenda both now and in the next election,” McGowan said. “I just won’t be doing it as party leader.

“My central message in this campaign has been that, in order to win, we have to reach out to people outside of our tent — in particular, working Albertans with high school, college and trades educations (both inside and outside the two big cities) who, polls show, are supporting the UCP over the NDP.

“I hope that whoever wins this race will take my insight about workers being the ‘missing piece’ and use it as part of a strategy to beat the UCP and fix the things that are broken in Alberta — so that our province can truly live up to its potential.”

Ballots and voting information for the leadership race will be mailed to members via Canada Post at the end of May. Voting members can vote online, by telephone or by returning their ballot in the mail. Voting opens on June 3 and all ballots must be received by 12 p.m. on June 22.

The party will announce the new leader in Calgary on the afternoon of June 22.

&© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.