Angela Pitt and the Wildrose Party were the big winners in Airdrie, taking the riding with 7,499 votes (35.13 per cent) in the Provincial election on May 5.
“I’m victorious, I’m victorious, I’m victorious,” Pitt said as she reacted to the news with tears.
The win returns the riding to the Wildrose, which lost the seat when out-going MLA Rob Anderson crossed the floor to join the Progressive Conservative (PC) Party on Dec. 17, 2014.
Chris Noble, running for the New Democrats (NDP), placed second in Airdrie with 6,368 votes (29.83 per cent), while Peter Brown came in a close third for the PCs with 6,168 votes (28.89 per cent).
The Alberta Party’s Jeremy Klug was a distant fourth with 913 votes (4.28 per cent) and independent Jeff Willerton managed to pick up only 400 votes (1.87 per cent).
“I always knew the people of Airdrie believed in good government,” Pitt said. “We now have an opportunity to make a change and to make things better for Airdrie.”
“I’m so excited and honoured to be the representative of Airdrie with the Wildrose Party and I’m very excited for the future.”
An orange wave crashed across Alberta as the NDP won a majority government, taking 53 of the possible 87 seats.
Brown said he was “shocked” by the number of seats taken by the NDP that wiped away 44 years of PC rule in Alberta.
“It was an absolute surprise,” Pitt said. “Nobody saw this coming 28 days ago, but the people of Alberta have spoken and they have chosen who they have chosen. But I thought Airdrie chose the best.”
The Wildrose Party picked up 21 seats and becomes the official opposition. The PCs went into the election with 70 seats but won only 10, while the Alberta and Liberal parties picked up one seat each.
Brown, who took an unpaid leave of absence from his position as the Mayor of Airdrie, said he was looking forward to working with Pitt to get the city the things it needs.
“I love democracy and it’s what the community wanted so I fully support their decision,” he said. “I’m looking forward to working with her because we need some support, obviously, with the Province as we move forward and continue to grow.”
Klug echoed that sentiment.
“I want to congratulate Angela Pitt on being selected to represent the Airdrie constituency in Edmonton. I wish her success in advocating the needs of our community,” he said.
While final numbers are not yet official, estimates are that between 58 and 60 per cent of eligible Alberta voters cast a ballot in this election, up from 54 per cent in 2012. Voter turnout in Airdrie was 56 per cent, up from 52.9 per cent in 2012. Advance polls saw a lot of action, according to Elections Alberta, as voter turnout was up 30 per cent from 2012.
Pitt said she was looking forward to getting to work.
“We have to get a budget through,” she said. “This isn’t quite the landscape I pictured 28 days ago. We’re just going to have to work together and do what is best for Alberta and Airdrie.”
The election results won’t be official until May 15 with the swearing in of the new MLAs to take place on May 26.
Pitt said the short 28-day campaign was exhausting but she was looking forward to getting to work.
“It has been gruelling. I’m very tired and exhausted, but I have learned a lot and it’s rewarding,” she said.
Noble could not be reached for comment by press time.
