# Ray Martin (politician)

Raymond James Martin (born August 8, 1941) is a politician in Alberta, Canada and former member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.
Martin served four terms as an Alberta MLA and two terms as an Edmonton Public School Board Trustee. In 2018, Martin published his memoir, "Made in Alberta: The Ray Martin Story."

## Early life

Born in 1941 in Delia, Alberta, Martin attended the University of Alberta in Edmonton. He was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity. He later attended the University of Calgary in order to earn his master's degree.
He taught in Edmonton public schools.

## Provincial politics

Martin ran for a seat in the 1975 Alberta general election in Calgary and in 1979 in Edmonton-Norwood but both times was unsuccessful.
Martin ran again in Edmonton-Norwood in 1982 provincial election. This time he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta to join Grant Notley in a two-member Alberta New Democratic Party (NDP) caucus. At the time, the two NDP-ers and two Independent members were the only opposition MLAs in the Legislature, sitting in opposition to more than 70 Conservative MLAs. Martin was the first NDP MLA elected in Edmonton since the end of the use of single transferable voting in Edmonton back in 1956.
He became leader of the Alberta NDP in 1984, succeeding Grant Notley after his death in a plane crash.
Martin led the party to a highwater mark (at the time) winning 16 seats in the 1986 provincial election, making him leader of the opposition in the legislature. Still under Ray's leadership, the NDP took that same number of seats in the 1989 election.
In 1993, none of the party's sitting MLAs were re-elected. Martin was defeated in his constituency, Edmonton-Norwood, by Liberal Andrew Beniuk.
He quit the party's leadership in 1994, being replaced by former NDP MP Ross Harvey
After an absence of eleven years, Martin returned to the Legislature as the NDP Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview in the 2004 general election.
He was defeated in 2008 by Progressive Conservative Tony Vandermeer.
Martin ran again for the NDP in the 2012 provincial election, in the riding of Edmonton-Glenora. He was defeated by Progressive Conservative Heather Klimchuk.

## Municipal politics

In the 2001 Edmonton municipal election, Martin won election as the Edmonton Public School Board Trustee for Ward D. He did not seek re-election to this role in the 2004 election.
In the 2013 Edmonton municipal election, Martin once again won election as the Edmonton Public School Board Trustee for Ward D. He did not seek re-election in the 2017 election.

## Federal politics

In 2003, Martin supported Bill Blaikie's unsuccessful campaign to become leader of the federal New Democratic Party.
Ray Martin has run and lost in four federal elections, each time as an NDP candidate. He ran in the 1997, 2000, 2008, and 2011 federal elections, in Edmonton North, Edmonton Centre-East, and Edmonton East (twice), respectively.

## Electoral Record
### Provincial

vte1979 Alberta general election: Edmonton-Norwood :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Catherine Chichak | 3,950 | 47.15% | -12.22% |
| | New Democratic | Ray Martin | 3,194 | 38.12% | 12.58% |
| | Social Credit | Mike Ekelund | 703 | 8.39% | -6.04% |
| | Liberal | Walter G. Coombs | 486 | 5.80% | – |
| | Communist | Kimball Cariou | 45 | 0.54% | -0.13% |
| Total | Total | Total | 8,378 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 97 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 16,231 | 52.21% | 5.41% |
| | Progressive Conservative hold | Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | -12.40% |
| Source(s) Source: "Edmonton-Norwood Official Results 1979 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||
vte1982 Alberta general election: Edmonton-Norwood :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | New Democratic | Ray Martin | 4,857 | 46.22% | 8.10% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Tony Falcone | 4,782 | 45.51% | -1.64% |
| | Western Canada Concept | John Hudson | 569 | 5.41% | – |
| | Independent | Georg J.P. Wowk | 263 | 2.50% | – |
| | Communist | David Wallis | 37 | 0.35% | -0.19% |
| Total | Total | Total | 10,508 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 59 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 17,050 | 61.98% | 9.85% |
| | New Democratic gain from Progressive Conservative | New Democratic gain from Progressive Conservative | Swing | Swing | -4.15% |
| Source(s) Source: "Edmonton-Norwood Official Results 1982 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||
vte1986 Alberta general election: Edmonton-Norwood :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | New Democratic | Ray Martin | 5,272 | 69.62% | 23.39% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Catherine Chichak | 1,942 | 25.64% | -19.86% |
| | Liberal | David R. Long | 359 | 4.74% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 7,573 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 26 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 15,632 | 48.61% | -13.36% |
| | New Democratic hold | New Democratic hold | Swing | Swing | 21.63% |
| Source(s) Source: "Edmonton-Norwood Official Results 1986 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||
vte1989 Alberta general election: Edmonton-Norwood :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | New Democratic | Ray Martin | 4,229 | 57.60% | -12.02% |
| | Liberal | Luis C. Baptista | 1,594 | 21.71% | 16.97% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Dan Papirnik | 1,519 | 20.69% | -4.95% |
| Total | Total | Total | 7,342 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 16 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 15,068 | 48.83% | 0.22% |
| | New Democratic hold | New Democratic hold | Swing | Swing | -4.04% |
| Source(s) Source: "Edmonton-Norwood Official Results 1989 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||
vte1993 Alberta general election: Edmonton-Norwood :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Andrew Beniuk | 4,944 | 42.76% | 21.05% |
| | New Democratic | Ray Martin | 3,749 | 32.43% | -25.17% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Fay Orr | 2,517 | 21.77% | 1.08% |
| | Social Credit | Alan Cruikshank | 264 | 2.28% | – |
| | Natural Law | Maury Shapka | 88 | 0.76% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 11,562 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled, and declined | Rejected, spoiled, and declined | Rejected, spoiled, and declined | 49 | – | – |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 22,844 | 50.83% | 2.00% |
| | Liberal gain from New Democratic | Liberal gain from New Democratic | Swing | Swing | -12.78% |
| Source(s) Source: "Edmonton-Norwood Official Results 1993 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||
2004 Alberta general election: Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | New Democratic | Ray Martin | 5,259 | 50.83% | 31.68% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Julius E. Yankowsky | 3,041 | 29.39% | -16.26% |
| | Liberal | Sam Parmar | 1,164 | 11.25% | -20.49% |
| | Alberta Alliance | Philip Gamache | 458 | 4.43% | – |
| | Social Credit | Ken Shipka | 283 | 2.74% | – |
| | Green | Benoit Couture | 141 | 1.36% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 10,346 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 35 | 53 | 1 |
| Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | 23,569 | 44.05% | -4.68% |
| | New Democratic gain from Progressive Conservative | New Democratic gain from Progressive Conservative | Swing | Swing | 3.76% |
| Source(s) Source: "00 - Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview, 2004 Alberta general election". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 21, 2020. Alberta. Chief Electoral Officer (2005). Report of the Chief Electoral Officer on the General Enumeration and General Election of the Twenty-sixth Legislative Assembly (Report). Edmonton: Alberta Legislative Assembly, Office of the Chief Electoral Officer. |||||||
2008 Alberta general election: Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Tony Vandermeer | 4,182 | 39.63% | 10.24% |
| | New Democratic | Ray Martin | 3,845 | 36.44% | -14.39% |
| | Liberal | Dawit Isaac | 1,996 | 18.92% | 7.67% |
| | Wildrose Alliance | Brian Dell | 289 | 2.74% | -1.69% |
| | Green | Frédérique Pivot | 183 | 1.73% | 0.37% |
| | Social Credit | Robin Porteous | 57 | 0.54% | -2.20% |
| Total | Total | Total | 10,552 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 20 | 21 | 3 |
| Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | Eligible electors / Turnout | 28,057 | 37.69% | -6.36% |
| | Progressive Conservative gain from New Democratic | Progressive Conservative gain from New Democratic | Swing | Swing | -9.12% |
| Source(s) Source: "25 - Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview, 2008 Alberta general election". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 21, 2020. Chief Electoral Officer (2008). The Report on the March 3, 2008 Provincial General Election of the Twenty-Seventh Legislative Assembly (Report). Edmonton, Alta.: Elections Alberta. Retrieved April 7, 2021. |||||||
vte2012 Alberta general election: Edmonton-Glenora :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Heather Klimchuk | 6,183 | 38.24% | -1.66% |
| | New Democratic | Ray Martin | 4,143 | 25.62% | 10.52% |
| | Wildrose Alliance | Don Koziak | 2,732 | 16.90% | 14.51% |
| | Liberal | Bruce Miller | 1,670 | 10.33% | -28.74% |
| | Alberta Party | Sue Huff | 1,441 | 8.91% | – |
| Total | Total | Total | 16,169 | – | – |
| Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | Rejected, spoiled and declined | 119 | 55 | 6 |
| Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | Eligible electors / turnout | 29,262 | 55.68% | 13.23% |
| | Progressive Conservative hold | Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | 5.89% |
| Source(s) Source: "34 - Edmonton-Glenora, 2012 Alberta general election". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved May 21, 2020. |||||||

### Federal

1997 Canadian federal election: Edmonton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Expenditures |
| | Reform | Deborah Grey | 16,124 | 44.30% | $56,921 |
| | Liberal | Jonathan Murphy | 11,820 | 32.47% | $46,517 |
| | New Democratic Party | Ray Martin | 5,413 | 14.87% | $60,286 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Mitch Panciuk | 2,811 | 7.72% | $51,169 |
| | Natural Law | Ric Johnsen | 226 | 0.62% | |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 36,394 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 99 | 0.27% | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,493 | 55.63% | |
2000 Canadian federal election: Edmonton Centre-East :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Alliance | Peter Goldring | 17,768 | 42.43 | -2.14 | $58,345 |
| | Liberal | Sue Olsen | 14,323 | 34.20 | -0.38 | $57,858 |
| | New Democratic | Ray Martin | 7,304 | 17.44 | +5.65 | $56,287 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Kevin Mahfouz | 2,252 | 5.37 | -1.93 | $1,688 |
| | Communist | Naomi Rankin | 222 | 0.53 | – | $238 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 41,869 | 100.00 | | – |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 156 | 0.37 | +0.15 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,025 | 53.42 | +1.73 |
2008 Canadian federal election: Edmonton East :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Peter Goldring | 21,487 | 51.31 | +1.18 | $72,687 |
| | New Democratic | Ray Martin | 13,318 | 31.80 | +13.33 | $27,417 |
| | Liberal | Stephanie Laskoski | 4,578 | 10.93 | -15.23 | $9,666 |
| | Green | Trey Capnerhurst | 2,488 | 5.94 | +0.70 | $752 |
| Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | 41,871 | 100.00 | | $92,946 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 151 | 0.36 | -0.01 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,022 | 45.43 | -9.9 |
2011 Canadian federal election: Edmonton East :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Peter Goldring | 24,111 | 52.75 | +1.44 | $74,313 |
| | New Democratic | Ray Martin | 17,078 | 37.36 | +5.56 | $55,462 |
| | Liberal | Shafik Ruda | 3,176 | 6.95 | -3.98 | $17,634 |
| | Green | Trey Capnerhurst | 1,345 | 2.94 | -3.00 | $2,546 |
| Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | 45,710 | 100.00 | | $95,270 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 194 | 0.42 | +0.06 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,904 | 50.27 | +4.84 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 91,321 | – | – |