The Alberta NDP has selected its new leader and local constituency association representatives are expressing excitement for the party's future.
This weekend, the Alberta NDP announced Naheed Nenshi won the leadership race on the first ballot with 86 per cent at 62,746 votes.
“I am truly humbled and honoured to have been selected to lead the Alberta NDP into its next era. The excitement and optimism I’ve felt throughout this leadership race proves that Albertans want a government they can trust and believe in,” said Nenshi, who served as mayor of Calgary from 2010 to 2021.
“Every one of my fellow candidates demonstrate great passion, leadership, and intelligence — I want to thank them and their teams and I can’t wait to get to work with them as part of the larger Alberta NDP family.”
Kathleen Ganley received 5,899 votes, Sarah Hoffman received 3,063 votes and Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse received 1,222 votes.
Before the leadership race began the Alberta NDP had 16,224 members. By the end of the leadership race, eligible voting members grew to 85,227. Of eligible voting members, 85.6 per cent cast their ballot by noon on June 22.
Preston Hoff, interim president for the Red Deer-North NDP Alberta NDP Constituency Association, called the leadership race "a statement vote directed toward our governing UCP."
"The Red Deer North NDP Constituency Association is elated by the results of (Saturday's) historic election of Naheed Nenshi as Leader of Alberta's NDP," Hoff said.
"Albertans are tired of the politics of fear, hate, and hopelessness – a tactic all-to-often employed by Danielle Smith's UCP – and they're seeing this orange beacon of hope growing (curated throughout the Rachel Notley Era), and it gives them courage and hope of their own.
"This next era in Alberta's NDP, under the thoughtful and pragmatic leadership of Naheed Nenshi, will continue to shine this orange beacon of hope brighter and brighter, sharing courage and hope in perpetuity for a better future."
Kevin Shilling, treasurer for the Red Deer-South NDP Alberta NDP Constituency Association, said "the best thing" to come out of the leadership race is the party's substantial growth.
"At over 85,000 members, ours is now the largest provincial political party in Canada. This growth has re-energized our party, which gives us much excitement and optimism for the future," said Shilling.
"We wish to congratulate Naheed Neshi on being chosen as the Alberta NDP's leader and our province's next premier. We look forward to his leadership as we face the many challenges our province has, and to being an effective and vocal opposition to the divisive and destructive policies of the current government."
Shilling also expressed congratulations to the other leadership candidates: Hoffman, Ganley and Stonehouse.
"They all ran excellent, respectful campaigns and shared their ideas and vision for our province’s future. We look forward to their continued contributions to our party and to our province as we move forward. We know that we can count on them to support our new leader and help lead us to an election victory in 2027," said Shilling.
The Alberta NDP announced a leadership place would take place earlier this year after former premier Rachel Notley announced she was stepping down as the party's leader.