# Yellowhead (electoral district)

Yellowhead is a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada since 1979. The district is in west-central Alberta and represents: parts of the Municipal District of Greenview No. 16 including Grande Cache, Improvement District No. 25 (Willmore), the Improvement District No. 12 (Jasper), the Municipality of Jasper, Yellowhead County including Hinton and Edson, Brazeau County including Drayton Valley, Lac Ste. Anne County including Alexis 133, Parkland County, Leduc County, Clearwater County including Big Horn 144A, Sunchild 202, and O'Chiese 203, and Rocky Mountain House.

## History

The electoral district was created in 1976 from Rocky Mountain, Athabasca, Edmonton West, Pembina, and Wetaskiwin ridings.
Its first and most high-profile MP was Joe Clark. Clark was Prime Minister of Canada in late 1979 and early 1980. He remained a prominent figure on the Progressive Conservative front bench after losing the premiership, in opposition and as a cabinet minister under Brian Mulroney.
This riding lost territory to Peace River—Westlock and Sturgeon River—Parkland, while gaining territory from Wetaskiwin and Wild Rose, during the 2012 Canadian federal electoral redistribution.
Following the 2012 redistribution, portions of this electoral district (notably the town of Whitecourt) joined the newly formed riding of Peace River—Westlock while the regions of Leduc County and Rocky Mountain House were added to Yellowhead.

## Demographics

    According to the 2011 Canadian census
Languages: 90.5% English, 2.6% French, 1.7% German
Religions: 58.5% Christian (20.6% Catholic, 10.3% United Church, 4.3% Anglican, 4.2% Lutheran, 2.1% Baptist, 1.9% Pentecostal, 15.3% Other Christian), 1.0% Traditional Aboriginal Spirituality, 39.7% No religion
Median income (2010): $34,679
Panethnic groups in Yellowhead (2011−2021) :
| Panethnic group | 2021 | 2021 | 2016 | 2016 | 2011 | 2011 |
| Panethnic group | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % |
| European | 79,195 | 82% | 82,715 | 83.49% | 84,470 | 86.85% |
| Indigenous | 12,100 | 12.53% | 12,060 | 12.17% | 10,130 | 10.42% |
| Southeast Asian | 2,625 | 2.72% | 1,820 | 1.84% | 1,170 | 1.2% |
| South Asian | 745 | 0.77% | 520 | 0.52% | 265 | 0.27% |
| East Asian | 720 | 0.75% | 615 | 0.62% | 390 | 0.4% |
| African | 595 | 0.62% | 540 | 0.55% | 315 | 0.32% |
| Latin American | 215 | 0.22% | 310 | 0.31% | 150 | 0.15% |
| Middle Eastern | 200 | 0.21% | 185 | 0.19% | 170 | 0.17% |
| Other/multiracial | 175 | 0.18% | 305 | 0.31% | 200 | 0.21% |
| Total responses | 96,575 | 97.34% | 99,070 | 97.14% | 97,255 | 98.38% |
| Total population | 99,218 | 100% | 101,984 | 100% | 98,855 | 100% |
| Notes: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses. Demographics based on 2012 Canadian federal electoral redistribution riding boundaries. |||||||

## Riding associations

Riding associations are the local branches of political parties:
| Party | Association name | CEO | HQ city |
| Conservative | Yellowhead Conservative Association | Douglas E Woodhouse | Edson |
| Liberal | Yellowhead Federal Liberal Association | Zachary E.D. Trynacity-Popowich | Edmonton |
| Libertarian | Yellowhead Libertarian Association | Cory A. Lystang | Mayerthorpe |
| Maverick | Yellowhead EDA | Robert W. Landers | Hinton |
| New Democratic | Yellowhead Federal NDP Riding Association | Tom Boyce | Edmonton |
| People's | Yellowhead - PPC Association | James Cuthill | Rocky Mountain House |

## Members of Parliament

This riding has elected the following members of Parliament:
| Parliament | Years | Member | Party |
| Yellowhead Riding created from Rocky Mountain, Athabasca, Edmonton West, Pembina and Wetaskiwin |||||
| 31st | 1979–1980 | Joe Clark | Progressive Conservative |
| 32nd | 1980–1984 | Joe Clark | Progressive Conservative |
| 33rd | 1984–1988 | Joe Clark | Progressive Conservative |
| 34th | 1988–1993 | Joe Clark | Progressive Conservative |
| 35th | 1993–1997 | Cliff Breitkreuz | Reform |
| 36th | 1997–2000 | Cliff Breitkreuz | Reform |
| 36th | 2000–2000 | Cliff Breitkreuz | Alliance |
| 37th | 2000–2003 | Rob Merrifield | Alliance |
| 37th | 2003–2004 | Rob Merrifield | Conservative |
| 38th | 2004–2006 | Rob Merrifield | Conservative |
| 39th | 2006–2008 | Rob Merrifield | Conservative |
| 40th | 2008–2011 | Rob Merrifield | Conservative |
| 41st | 2011–2014 | Rob Merrifield | Conservative |
| 41st | 2014–2015 | Jim Eglinski | Conservative |
| 42nd | 2015–2019 | Jim Eglinski | Conservative |
| 43rd | 2019–2021 | Gerald Soroka | Conservative |
| 44th | 2021–present | Gerald Soroka | Conservative |

## Election results

2021 federal election redistributed results :
| Party | Vote | % |
| Conservative | 35,998 | 60.23 |
| New Democratic | 8,765 | 14.67 |
| Liberal | 6,344 | 10.62 |
| People's | 5,529 | 9.25 |
| Green | 747 | 1.25 |
| Others | 2,381 | 3.98 |
vte2021 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Gerald Soroka | 33,603 | 66.2 | -15.9 | $18,788.06 |
| | People's | Michael Manchen | 6,475 | 12.7 | +9.9 | $3,063.64 |
| | New Democratic | Guillaume Roy | 5,977 | 11.8 | +4.8 | $0.00 |
| | Liberal | Sheila Schumacher | 2,829 | 5.6 | +0.4 | $0.00 |
| | Maverick | Todd Muir | 1,761 | 3.5 | – | $9,914.16 |
| | Veterans Coalition | Gordon Francey | 147 | 0.3 | +0.1 | $0.00 |
| Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | 50,792 | 99.42 | -0.04 | $134,881.08 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 294 | 0.58 | +0.04 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,086 | 69.2 | -6.8 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 73,799 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | -10.8 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
vte2019 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Gerald Soroka | 45,964 | 82.1 | +9.85 | $16,739.58 |
| | New Democratic | Kristine Bowman | 3,898 | 7.0 | -2.05 | none listed |
| | Liberal | Jeremy Hoefsloot | 2,912 | 5.2 | -9.02 | none listed |
| | People's | Douglas Galavan | 1,592 | 2.8 | - | $4,988.84 |
| | Green | Angelena Satdeo | 1,272 | 2.3 | -0.63 | $0.00 |
| | Libertarian | Cory Lystang | 222 | 0.4 | -1.16 | none listed |
| | Veterans Coalition | Gordon Francey | 108 | 0.2 | - | $0.00 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 55,968 | 100.0 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 303 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 56,271 | 76.0 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 74,005 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | +5.95 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
2015 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Jim Eglinski | 37,950 | 72.25 | -5.81 | $39,133.01 |
| | Liberal | Ryan Maguhn | 7,467 | 14.22 | +11.32 | $4,198.93 |
| | New Democratic | Ken Kuzminski | 4,753 | 9.05 | -3.83 | $1,285.08 |
| | Green | Sandra Wolf Lange | 1,538 | 2.93 | -2.41 | $19.05 |
| | Libertarian | Cory Lystang | 817 | 1.56 | | $3,093.70 |
| Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | 52,525 | 100.00 | | $258,177.16 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 161 | 0.31 | – |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,686 | 71.20 | – |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 73,996 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | -8.57 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
2011 federal election redistributed results :
| Party | Vote | % |
| Conservative | 31,238 | 78.07 |
| New Democratic | 5,155 | 12.88 |
| Green | 2,136 | 5.34 |
| Liberal | 1,158 | 2.89 |
| Others | 328 | 0.82 |
vteCanadian federal by-election, November 17, 2014 By-election due to the resignation of Rob Merrifield :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Jim Eglinski | 7,884 | 62.57 | −14.46 | – |
| | Liberal | Ryan Heinz Maguhn | 2,518 | 19.98 | +17.11 | – |
| | New Democratic | Eric Rosendahl | 1,203 | 9.55 | −3.51 | – |
| | Independent | Dean Williams | 622 | 4.94 | | – |
| | Libertarian | Cory Lystang | 374 | 2.97 | | – |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | | 100.0 | | – |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,601 | 16.06 | −40.10 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 78,481 | | +6.00 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | −15.79 |
| Source(s) "By-election Results". Elections Canada. November 17, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2014. |||||||
2011 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Rob Merrifield | 31,925 | 77.03 | +5.18 | $ 44,010.72 |
| | New Democratic | Mark Wells | 5,411 | 13.06 | +0.79 | 18.01 |
| | Green | Monika Shaeffer | 2,132 | 5.14 | −4.05 | 4,290.85 |
| | Liberal | Zack Siezmagraff | 1,190 | 2.87 | −1.11 | 4,013.79 |
| | Christian Heritage | Jacob Strydhorst | 404 | 0.97 | −0.65 | 4,318.68 |
| | Canadian Action | Melissa Brade | 384 | 0.93 | −0.16 | 753.39 |
| Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | 41,446 | 100.00 | +10.85 | $106,445.21 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 129 | 0.31 | +0.04 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,575 | 56.16 | +6.19 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 74,036 | | |
| Source(s) "Official Voting Results — Forty-First General Election 2011". Retrieved November 18, 2014."Candidates' Details - Campaign Financial Summary (Part 4)". Elections Canada. May 2, 2011. |||||||
2008 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Rob Merrifield | 26,863 | 71.85 | +0.66 | $ 56,963.15 |
| | New Democratic | Ken Kuzminski | 4,587 | 12.27 | +1.32 | 5,958.90 |
| | Green | Monika Schaefer | 3,437 | 9.19 | +2.56 | 2,250.26 |
| | Liberal | Mohamed El-Rafih | 1,489 | 3.98 | −5.46 | Not reported |
| | Christian Heritage | John M. Wierenga | 606 | 1.62 | −0.16 | 12,235.84 |
| | Canadian Action | Melissa Brade | 408 | 1.09 | – | 1,477.48 |
| Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | 37,390 | 100.00 | −13.13 | $103,154.58 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 103 | 0.27 | +0.05 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,493 | 49.97 | −10.22 |
| Source(s) "Official Voting Results — Fortieth General Election 2008". Retrieved November 18, 2014."Candidates' Details - Campaign Financial Summary (Part 4)". Elections Canada. October 14, 2008. |||||||
2006 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Rob Merrifield | 30,640 | 71.19 | +2.58 | $57,683 |
| | New Democratic | Noel Lapierre | 4,712 | 10.95 | −0.52 | $6,110 |
| | Liberal | Nancy Love | 4,066 | 9.45 | −2.05 | $4,448 |
| | Green | Monika Schaefer | 2,856 | 6.64 | +0.08 | $499 |
| | Christian Heritage | John Marvin Wierenga | 765 | 1.78 | −0.09 | $15,607 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 43,039 | 100.0 | +11.42 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 94 | 0.22 | −0.03 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,133 | 60.19 | +3.6 |
2004 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Rob Merrifield | 26,503 | 68.61 | −10.1 | $54,539 |
| | Liberal | Peter Crossley | 4,441 | 11.50 | −4.1 | $10,183 |
| | New Democratic | Noel Lapierre | 4,429 | 11.47 | +6.8 | $8,611 |
| | Green | Eric Stieglitz | 2,534 | 6.56 | | $2,297 |
| | Christian Heritage | Jacob Strydhorst | 721 | 1.87 | +1.0 | $13,333 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 38,628 | 100.0 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 96 | 0.25 | −0.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,724 | 56.6 | −3.8 |
2000 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Alliance | Rob Merrifield | 26,824 | 66.1 | +0.1 | $40,389 |
| | Liberal | John Higgerty | 6,348 | 15.6 | +1.4 | $20,093 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Dale F. Galbraith | 5,141 | 12.7 | -0.5 | $5,162 |
| | New Democratic | J. Noel Lapierre | 1,910 | 4.7 | -0.1 | $1,369 |
| | Independent | Jacob Strydhorst | 371 | 0.9 | – | $8,158 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 40,594 | 100.0 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 151 | 0.4 | +0.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,745 | 60.4 | 3.5 |
1997 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Reform | Cliff Breitkreuz | 22,960 | 66.0 | +10.9 | $49,326 |
| | Liberal | Nancy Love Crawford | 6,318 | 14.2 | -7.5 | $46,729 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Ross Douglas Pugh | 4,383 | 13.2 | -0.8 | $9,515 |
| | New Democratic | Dennis Atkinson | 1,759 | 4.8 | +0.5 | |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 35,420 | 100.0 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 112 | 0.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,532 | 57.0 |
1993 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Reform | Cliff Breitkreuz | 22,790 | 55.0 | +27.1 |
| | Liberal | John Higgerty | 8,964 | 21.6 | +11.7 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Marilyn Stecyk | 5,766 | 13.9 | -30.6 |
| | New Democratic | Joe Woytowich | 1,804 | 4.4 | -11.0 |
| | National | Alex S. Mann | 1,147 | 2.8 | |
| | Christian Heritage | Peter Piers | 441 | 1.1 | -0.7 |
| | Natural Law | Dennis Ronald Michaelchuk | 284 | 0.7 | |
| | Independent | Douglas Bruce Pederson | 209 | 0.5 | |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 41,405 | 100.0 |
1988 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Joe Clark | 17,847 | 44.5 | -29.5 |
| | Reform | Preston Manning | 11,207 | 27.9 | |
| | New Democratic | Muriel Stanley Venne | 6,172 | 15.4 | +1.7 |
| | Liberal | John Higgerty | 3,987 | 9.9 | +1.8 |
| | Christian Heritage | John M. Torringa | 708 | 1.8 | |
| | Confederation of Regions | Peter E. Hope | 90 | 0.2 | -1.4 |
| | Independent | Pat Geo. A. O'Hara | 86 | 0.2 | |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 40,097 | 100.0 |
1984 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Joe Clark | 37,462 | 74.0 | +4.5 |
| | New Democratic | Rick Hardy | 6,906 | 13.6 | +2.3 |
| | Liberal | Louis H. Joy | 4,097 | 8.1 | -10.1 |
| | Confederation of Regions | G.R. Snow | 829 | 1.6 | |
| | Rhinoceros | Douglas Alan Bush | 773 | 1.5 | |
| | Social Credit | Audrey Sweigard | 553 | 1.1 | |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 50,620 | 100.0 |
1980 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Joe Clark | 27,953 | 69.5 | -0.5 |
| | Liberal | Laurie Switzer | 7,302 | 18.1 | +1.0 |
| | New Democratic | Laird Mitchell | 4,562 | 11.3 | +2.6 |
| | Independent | Robert L.T. Brower | 249 | 0.6 | |
| | Independent | Brian K. Fallis | 170 | 0.4 | |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 40,236 | 100.0 |
1979 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressive Conservative | Joe Clark | 28,849 | 70.0 |
| | Liberal | Laurie Switzer | 7,083 | 17.2 |
| | New Democratic | Bob Ritchie | 3,600 | 8.7 |
| | Independent | Lex Miller | 1,535 | 3.7 |
| | Independent | Ronnie B. Plaunt | 143 | 0.3 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 41,210 | 100.0 |