Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has secured a decisive victory in the Battle River–Crowfoot by-election, capturing 80.9 per cent of the vote.
Voters needed to write out the names of the candidates after 214 people registered to run. Most were part of the Long Ballot Committee, a protest initiative that encourages mass candidacies to highlight concerns about the electoral system.
Despite the crowded field, Poilievre’s margin of victory was never in doubt. Independent Bonnie Critchley placed a distant second with 5,018 votes, while Liberal candidate Darcy Spady finished third with 2,095 votes.
Battle River–Crowfoot is considered one of the safest Conservative seats in the country, and the party has held it and its predecessor ridings for decades.
Poilievre, who previously represented the Ontario riding of Carleton, sought a return to the House of Commons in Alberta after former Conservative MP Damien Kurek resigned earlier this year.
The victory allows Poilievre to resume his seat in Parliament as Leader of the Official Opposition, with strong grassroots backing from a key Conservative stronghold ahead of the next federal election.
Author: Landin Chambers
Landin Chambers is a news reporter for Hometown Media Stettler. He has a background in broadcast news, with previous roles in Prince George, Red Deer and Calgary. You may also see him as a cameraman for the Stettler Wildcats and Stettler Imperials. Have a story idea? Email: lchambers@htproductionsmedia.ca
