Voters in southern Alberta are picking a new legislature representative in Lethbridge-West on Wednesday.
It’s expected to be a tight two-way race between former city councillor Rob Miyashiro for the NDP and current city councillor John Middleton-Hope for the UCP.
The legislature seat was left vacant after NDP MLA Shannon Phillips resigned July 1.
CityNews spoke to voters as polls opened Wednesday morning.
“I’m gonna vote NDP,” said Lethbridge resident Ken VanCleave. “It’s just our duty, our civil right to vote and I want my little vote to be counted.”
“I’m not a bit fan of the NDP and all the union problems we’re having in the country right now,” said Ian Edmonds.
“I would rather see Rob win this one,” added Steven Kwan. “I think he’s done a lot for the community. I think he really embodies the values of a Canadian.”
Miyashiro believes Lethbridge needs an opposition MLA to fight for better health care.
“People are worried about just having lost their doctor and how they’re going to find another one,” he told CityNews. “People are concerned because they have to go out of town for specialized health care.”
The UCP did not make Middleton-Hope available for an interview. But in a recent campaign video he promised to push the premier for improved health care, education and infrastructure for his fast-growing city.
This byelection is about more than just Lethbridge. It’s also the first true test of new Naheed Nenshi’s leadership of the NDP — which needs to grow support in places outside of Edmonton and central Calgary to form government again.
“Danielle Smith, several cabinet ministers, they invested a lot of time and energy there, and so it wouldn’t be nothing if they lost,” said Lori Williams, a political scientist at Mount Royal University. “But I don’t think it’ll be as consequential as it would be for the NDP.”
Early numbers from Elections Alberta show 18 per cent of the 37,000 eligible voters have cast advance votes, down from 28 per cent in the 2023 general election.
The UCP has 49 seats in the 87-seat legislature compared with 37 for the NDP.
The riding has been held by the New Democrats since 2015, and the byelection will be the first test of the party’s appeal under new leader Naheed Nenshi.
The polls close in Lethbridge at 8 p.m. Ballots will all be hand counted, but CityNews has been told results should be known fairly quickly because polls will be reported individually and turnout in byelections is typically lower than in general elections.
–With files from The Canadian Press