Decision day for voters in Lethbridge West

By Lethbridge Herald on December 17, 2024.

A sign marks the way as voters line up at a Lethbridge polling station during a previous provincial election. Residents in Lethbridge West head to the polls today to decide who will serve as the riding’s MLA. Herald file photo by Ian Martens

Al Beeber – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – abeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

Residents in the Lethbridge West riding will decide today who fills the seat in the Alberta legislature left vacant when NDP MLA Shannon Phillips resigned in July.

Seeking election are the Alberta Party’s Layton Veverka, NDP’s Rob Miyashiro and UCP’s John Middleton-Hope.

Premier Danielle Smith called the election on Nov. 20.

Results of the voting are expected sometime tonight after polls close.

Advance polls were held at two locations from Dec. 10-14.

Polls today will be open from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. Those eligible to vote in the election must be ordinarily a resident of Lethbridge West, be a Canadian citizen and be 18 years of age or older today.

Multiple voting locations are open today. They include:

* German Canadian Club, 902 6 St. N.

* Lethbridge Public Library Crossing Branch, 255 Brittania Blvd. West.

* Maranatha Christian Reformed Church, 260 McGill Blvd. West.

* New Apostolic Church, 115 Mt. Blakiston Rd. West.

* Southern Alberta Ethnic Association, 421 6 Ave. S.

* The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 560 Highlands Blvd. West.

* The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 5 Jerry Potts Blvd. West.

* University Drive Alliance Church, 55 Columbia Blvd. West.

* Westside Community Church, 480 McMaster Blvd. West.

To cast ballots, voters will have to prove their identity and current address. This can be done in several ways including:

To vote, you must prove your identity and current address.

To do this, you may:

• Provide one piece of government-issued photo ID, including your full name, current address, and photo.

• Provide two pieces of ID, both containing your full name, and with one showing your current physical address.

• Have another registered elector in your voting area vouch for you.

• Have an authorized signatory complete an attestation form.

Smith said last month in a statement the government had been waiting to call the election with the expectation that NDP leader Naheed Nenshi would also be seeking a seat in the legislature.

“Having two byelections at once would save Alberta taxpayers resources and would hopefully support a higher voter turnout in both ridings due to the buzz it would generate. Unfortunately, he has still not made any indication that he plans to seek a seat and given it has been 151 days, apparently has no desire to sit in the legislature,” the premier stated.

In his own statement, Nenshi said “Lethbridge West residents will finally have their chance to send Danielle Smith a message that better is possible. Even though the premier has cynically chosen to call a byelection just before Christmas, at the end of final exams, in the hopes that students and busy families won’t be able to vote, we know that’s not true. We’ve been on the doors for months, and citizens have been clear. They deserve better.”