The Alberta provincial race is heating up with only one day left before the official election. The New Democrat Party (NDP) leader, Rachel Notley, is campaigning hard for a second term after her defeat by the United Conservative Party (UCP) in 2019. On the other hand, UCP Leader Danielle Smith is also working hard to return to the premier’s office after a brief seven-month stint. On May 29, the province’s voters will decide which leader to elect.
Notley has been busy campaigning, with one campaign rally held at the Islamic Association of North West Calgary and another at the Grand — the oldest theatre in downtown Calgary. According to her chief of staff Jeremy Nolais, 1,200 people attended the Grand event, while Notley claimed 1,400. Notley also had a scheduled event in Red Deer in the morning of May 28, followed by another one in Edmonton at The Polish Hall in the afternoon.
Meanwhile, Danielle Smith held a rally outside a Calgary resort and casino on May 25, which was attended by an estimated 2,000 supporters. She also made multiple campaign stops throughout the weekend, including Elbow Valley and the Chinese community in Calgary.
The race has received a lot of attention, with former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi endorsing Notley, while former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper and federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre threw their support behind Danielle Smith and the UCP.
The province is also breaking records for civic engagement, with a historic 758,550 advance ballots cast as of May 27. In the last election, there were over 696,000 ballots cast during the five-day voting period.
The decision on May 29 will determine whether Notley will get a second term or if Danielle Smith will return as the premier of Alberta.