With less than two weeks to go before the April 23 provincial election, the list of candidates, along with those vying for Alberta’s Senate, has been finalized.
Candidates had until Tuesday at 2 p.m. to file their papers with Elections Alberta.
The Progressive Conservatives, Wildrose Alliance Party and the New Democratic Party had nominated a full slate in the seven Central Alberta ridings: Red Deer North, Red Deer South, Drumheller-Stettler, Innisfail-Sylvan Lake, Lacombe-Ponoka, Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills and Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre.
Not until recently did the Alberta Liberals nominate a full slate of candidates in the ridings.
The Alberta Party is also in a better position, now having five candidates in the seven ridings.
Other parties such as the Evergreen Party of Alberta, the Separation Party of Alberta, the Alberta Social Credit Party and the Communist Party of Alberta are not represented in the seven ridings.
In all, there are 87 seats in the Alberta legislature up for grabs.
Not only will Albertans be choosing their next provincial government on April 23, they will also be asked to choose three senators out of 13 on their ballots.
Alberta is the only province that elects senators put forward as “persons who could be summoned” to fill Senate vacancies.
Running under the Evergreen Party of Alberta is Elizabeth Johannson.
Ian Urquhart, Len Bracko, Paul Frank, William Exelby, David Fletcher and Perry Chahal are running as independents.
The Progressive Conservatives have nominated Mike Shaikh, Scott Tannas and Doug Black.
The Wildrose Party has nominated Vitor Marciano, Raymond Germain and Rob Gregory.
The following is the list of candidates for the provincial general election in the Central Alberta ridings.
Drumheller-Stettler
Alberta Party: Andrew Berdahl
Liberals: Cam Roset
NDP: Aditya Rao
PC: Jack Hayden (incumbent)
Wildrose: Rick Strankman
Innisfail-Sylvan Lake
Alberta Party: Danielle Klooster
Liberals: Les Vidok
NDP: Patricia Norman
PC: Luke Ouellette (incumbent)
Wildrose: Kerry Towle
Lacombe-Ponoka
Alberta Party: Tony Jeglum
Liberals: Kyle Morrow
NDP: Doug Hart
PC: Steve Christie
Wildrose: Rod Fox
Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills
Liberals: Garth Davis
NDP: Kristie Krezanoski
PC: Darcy Davis
Wildrose: Bruce Rowe
Red Deer North
Alberta Party: Brent Chalmers
Liberals: Michael Dawe
NDP: Derek Seelinger
PC: Mary Anne Jablonski (incumbent)
Wildrose: Randy Weins
Red Deer South
Alberta Party: Serge Gingras
Liberals: Jason Chilibeck
NDP: Lorna Watkinson-Zimmer
PC: Cal Dallas (incumbent)
Wildrose: Nathan Stephan
Rimbey-Rocky Mountain-House-Sundre
Alberta Party: No candidate
Liberals: Mason Sisson
NDP: Doreen Broska
PC: Ty Lund (incumbent)
Wildrose: Joe Anglin
jjones@www.reddeeradvocate.com