# Meanwhile in Alberta - is a once-in-a-lifetime electoral shift in the offing?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meanwhile-in-alberta-is-a-once-in-a-lifetime-electoral-shift-in-the-offing/618086>\
**Category:** Politics & Elections\
**Created:** [April 7, 2012, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meanwhile-in-alberta-is-a-once-in-a-lifetime-electoral-shift-in-the-offing/618086 "2012-04-07T15:07:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 9

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**Author:** ![Implicit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Implicit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Implicit)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2012, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meanwhile-in-alberta-is-a-once-in-a-lifetime-electoral-shift-in-the-offing/618086/161 "2012-04-25T02:28:05Z")

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“Some supporters might have decided to keep their views to themselves when contacted by pollsters, Mr. Singh.”

That’s me, I hung up on every robocall pollster.

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**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2012, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meanwhile-in-alberta-is-a-once-in-a-lifetime-electoral-shift-in-the-offing/618086/162 "2012-04-25T13:36:08Z")

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You and me both, **Implicit.** Hey, here’s good poll question, pollsters - do you like people bothering you on your phone, that you pay for and seem to have no control over how many random idiots call you and ask for money, try to scam you, or just waste your time?

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**Author:** ![gregorio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@gregorio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gregorio)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2012, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meanwhile-in-alberta-is-a-once-in-a-lifetime-electoral-shift-in-the-offing/618086/163 "2012-04-25T18:06:31Z")

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> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#):
>
> - do you like?

Click. Bzzzzzzzz.

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**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2012, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meanwhile-in-alberta-is-a-once-in-a-lifetime-electoral-shift-in-the-offing/618086/164 "2012-04-25T21:47:17Z")

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> [@EmAnJ](#):
>
> I heard on the radio this morning that turnout was 50%.

Is that high or low for Alberta?

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**Author:** ![Implicit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Implicit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Implicit)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2012, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meanwhile-in-alberta-is-a-once-in-a-lifetime-electoral-shift-in-the-offing/618086/165 "2012-04-25T21:59:17Z")

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The actual voter turnout was 57%, which is very high.

> [@"\[Edmonton](#):
>
> ([http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/alberta-politics/6510400/story.html](http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/alberta-politics/6510400/story.html))"]
> 
> Monday’s provincial election drew more voters to the polls than any election since 1993.
> 
> Voter turnout stood at 57 per cent, according to unofficial results reported Tuesday by Elections Alberta, with election workers counting 1,290,218 votes out of a possible 2,265,169 voters.
> 
> That means the 2012 election attracted higher voter turnout than any contest since 1993, when the Progressive Conservatives led by Ralph Klein faced off against Laurence Decore’s Liberals in a hard-fought race that recorded 60-per-cent turnout.
> 
> Electoral turnout dwindled in subsequent elections in 1997, 2001 and 2004. It hit an all-time low in 2008, when only 41 per cent of eligible Albertans opted to cast a ballot.

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