Alberta Political History

There have only ever been four governing parties in Alberta. Each has had its own turn, after which the party which held power has been thrown into the political wilderness, never to return.

For its first 12 years, Alberta had Liberal Governments.

Then in 1917 the Liberals got decimated by a new upstart party called the United Farmers of Alberta. The wipe of the Liberals coincided with installing a new Liberal leader that misread the province's politics.

The Liberals have never governed Alberta since.

The United Farmers governed until 1935, the year that they got decimated by a new upstart party called Social Credit. They decimation coincided with installing a new United Farmer leader that misread the province's politics.

The United Farmers of Alberta have never governed Alberta since.

The Social Credit party ruled Alberta from 1935 to 1971. Their end was in large part because prior to the 1971 election they put in a new Social Credit leader that misread the province's politics.

The Social Credit Party has never governed Alberta since.

From 1971 until 2006 the PC's ruled. At the end of 2006 they installed a new leader who is seriously misreading the province's politics.

If the past is any indication, history is lining up to repeat itself.

Declining Tory popularity leaves Alberta with a fractured political landscape

It was 36 years ago that Alberta voters last dumped the governing party, and with support apparently ebbing for the previously unbeatable Progressive Conservatives, some are wondering if that time has come again.

It's also a tradition in Alberta that voters in the mood for change don't switch to the opposition - they prefer to try their luck instead with a totally new party. So the political landscape is wide open for a new challenger, but so far no serious one has emerged.