# 1989 Alberta general election

The 1989 Alberta general election was held on March 20, 1989, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.
Many political observers were surprised by the early election call as less than three years had passed since the previous election. Premier Don Getty, in his second election as Progressive Conservative Party leader, led it to its sixth consecutive term in government, although supported by less than half the votes cast in the election.
Despite losing a significant share of the popular vote, the PC's benefited from a split vote between the two main opponents Liberals and NDP. Together those two parties received 55 percent of the vote to the Conservative's 44 percent.
The Conservatives sustained a net loss of only two seats in the legislature. Most notably, the premier lost his own seat of Edmonton-Whitemud to Liberal candidate Percy Wickman, the first time that this had happened to a sitting Premier of Alberta since Richard G. Reid in 1935, which had seen the ruling United Farmers of Alberta completely swept from the legislature. The PC's were reduced to just two seats in Edmonton, however despite their losses in urban areas they remained largely dominant in Calgary while their losses were somewhat offset by gains in rural areas, notably at the expense of the moribund Representative Party. Getty himself would quickly return to the Legislature by winning a by-election in a safe rural seat.
The New Democratic Party led by Ray Martin largely held its share of the popular vote, with its gains being balanced by its losses and the party left with the same number of seats (16) as in the previous in the legislature.
The Liberal Party, under new leader Laurence Decore, was the principal beneficiary of the voters' continuing distrust of Don Getty. The Liberals' share of the popular vote increased to over 28%, more than the NDP, but whereas the NDP continued to dominate in Edmonton the Liberal vote was more evenly distributed and the party's legislative caucus increased from four to only eight members.
The Representative Party, which had elected 2 candidates in the previous election, did not run any candidates in 1989 (although it remained registered). Leader Ray Speaker defected to the Progressive Conservatives, while Walt Buck retired. The party disbanded soon after the election.

## Results

Overall voter turnout was 53.60%.
| Party | Party | Party leader | # of candidates | Seats | Seats | Seats | Popular vote | Popular vote | Popular vote |
| Party | Party | Party leader | # of candidates | 1986 | Elected | % Change | # | % | % Change |
| | Progressive Conservative | Don Getty | 83 | 61 | 59 | -3.3% | 367,244 | 44.29% | -7.11% |
| | New Democrats | Ray Martin | 83 | 16 | 16 | - | 217,952 | 26.29% | -2.93% |
| | Liberal | Laurence Decore | 83 | 4 | 8 | +100% | 237,787 | 28.68% | +16.46% |
| | Social Credit | Harvey Yuill | 6 | * | - | * | 3,939 | 0.47% | * |
| | Independent | Independent | 10 | - | - | - | 2,162 | 0.26% | -0.60% |
| | Communist | Norman Brudy | 2 | - | - | - | 85 | 0.01% | -0.02% |
| | Representative | | 0 | 2 | - | -100% | 0 | 0.00% | - |
| Total | Total | Total | 267 | 83 | 83 | - | 829,189 | 100% | |
| Source: Elections Alberta ||||||||||
Note:
* Party did not nominate candidates in the previous election.
Popular vote
PC
44.29%
Liberal
28.68%
New Democratic
26.29%
Social Credit
0.47%
Others
0.27% :
Seats summary
PC
71.08%
New Democratic
19.28%
Liberal
9.64% :

## Results by riding

| Electoral district | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral district | PC | PC | NDP | NDP | Liberal | Liberal | Other | Other | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Athabasca-Lac La Biche | | Mike Cardinal 4,237 45.07% | | Leo Piquette 3,342 35.55% | | Tom Maccagno 1,791 19.05% | | | Leo Piquette |
| Banff-Cochrane | | Brian Evans 4,389 50.82% | | Steven Scott 1,802 20.86% | | Jim N. Tanner 2,411 27.91% | | | Greg Stevens |
| Barrhead | | Kenneth R. Kowalski 5,294 57.41% | | Harold E. Wharton 1,673 18.14% | | Dave Perrin 1,660 18.00% | | J. Harvey Yuill (SoCred) 578 6.27% | Kenneth R. Kowalski |
| Bonnyville | | Ernie Isley 3,362 50.20% | | Lori Hall 1,553 23.19% | | Denis Lapierre 1,769 26.41% | | | Ernie Isley |
| Bow Valley | | Tom N. Musgrove 3,405 60.33% | | Larry D. Kern 666 11.80% | | George Timko 1,561 27.66% | | | Tom N. Musgrove |
| Calgary-Bow | | Bonnie Laing 3,968 34.76% | | Scott Jeffrey 3,513 30.77% | | Timothy Walter Bardsley 3,892 34.09% | | | Neil Webber |
| Calgary-Buffalo | | Kate Thrasher 3,601 31.25% | | Iain Dunbar 877 7.61% | | Sheldon Chumir 7,014 60.86% | | | Sheldon Chumir |
| Calgary-Currie | | Dennis L. Anderson 5,072 49.45% | | Bruce McGuigan 1,716 16.73% | | Mairi Matheson 3,434 33.48% | | | Dennis L. Anderson |
| Calgary-Egmont | | David John Carter 5,272 52.35% | | Vinay Dey 1,864 18.51% | | Clive R. Mallory 2,907 28.87% | | | David John Carter |
| Calgary-Elbow | | Ralph Klein 4,505 49.52% | | David Jones 719 7.90% | | Gilbert J. Clark 3,682 40.47% | | Larry R Heather (Ind.) 174 1.91% | David J. Russell |
| Calgary-Fish Creek | | William Edward Payne 6,996 47.86% | | Tom Polmear 2,071 14.17% | | Wayne Gillis 5,517 37.74% | | | William Edward Payne |
| Calgary-Foothills | | Patricia Black 5,341 37.13% | | Theresa Catherine Baxter 4,133 28.74% | | Harvey Locke 4,866 33.83% | | | Janet Koper |
| Calgary-Forest Lawn | | Moe Amiri 3,177 35.01% | | Barry Pashak 3,994 44.02% | | Gene Czaprowski 1,584 17.46% | | Jim Othen (Ind.) 294 3.24% | Barry Pashak |
| Calgary-Glenmore | | Dianne Mirosh 5,189 45.39% | | Barry Bristman 1,197 10.47% | | Brendan Dunphy 4,587 40.12% | | Greg Pearson (Ind.) 437 3.82% | Dianne Mirosh |
| Calgary-McCall | | Stanley Kenneth Nelson 5,109 44.53% | | Ken Richmond 3,311 28.86% | | A. Giga 3,032 26.42% | | | Stanley Kenneth Nelson |
| Calgary-McKnight | | Mark Petros 4,704 37.91% | | Roy Brown 2,371 19.11% | | Yolande Gagnon 5,303 42.74% | | | Eric Charles Musgreave |
| Calgary-Millican | | Gordon Wells Shrake 3,840 42.93% | | Bill Flookes 3,713 41.51% | | Dale Muti 1,366 15.27% | | | Gordon Wells Shrake |
| Calgary-Montrose | | Rick Orman 5,044 54.49% | | Frank Gereau 2,585 27.92% | | Jamil Farhat 1,605 17.34% | | | Rick Orman |
| Calgary-Mountain View | | Vicky Adamson 4,171 33.22% | | Robert Andrew Hawkesworth 6,469 51.53% | | Kevin Murphy 1,862 14.83% | | | Robert Andrew Hawkesworth |
| Calgary-North Hill | | Frederick Alan Stewart 4,918 44.59% | | Emily Drzymala 2,720 24.66% | | Pauline Kay 3,030 27.47% | | John J. Jasienczyk (Ind.) 328 2.97% | Frederick Alan Stewart |
| Calgary-North West | | Stan Cassin 6,985 41.80% | | Kelly Hegg 2,281 13.65% | | Frank Bruseker 7,417 44.38% | | | Stan Cassin |
| Calgary-Shaw | | Jim Dinning 7,412 52.81% | | Gordon M. Christie 1,728 12.31% | | Robert J. (Bob) Crump 4,865 34.67% | | | Jim Dinning |
| Calgary-West | | Elaine McCoy 6,133 46.12% | | Joseph Yanchula 2,564 19.28% | | Bernie Myers 4,550 34.22% | | | Elaine McCoy |
| Camrose | | Ken Rostad 6,494 63.16% | | Bill Scotten 2,141 20.82% | | Carol Ayers 1,605 15.61% | | | Ken Rostad |
| Cardston | | Jack Ady 3,483 74.42% | | Don Ferguson 517 11.05% | | Beth Wendorff 667 14.25% | | | Jack Ady |
| Chinook | | Shirley McClellan 3,585 70.98% | | H. James Powers 765 15.15% | | Mel H. Buffalo 691 13.68% | | | Henry Kroeger |
| Clover Bar | | Kurt Gesell 3,717 34.53% | | W.H. (Skip) Gordon 3,505 32.56% | | Stephen Lindop 3,533 32.82% | | | Walt A. Buck |
| Cypress-Redcliff | | Alan Hyland 2,514 48.87% | | Rudolf Schempp 659 12.81% | | Lloyd B. Robinson 1,968 38.26% | | | Alan Hyland |
| Drayton Valley | | Tom Thurber 4,563 45.48% | | Lynne Martin 2,622 26.13% | | G. (Bear) Werschler 2,826 28.17% | | | Shirley Cripps |
| Drumheller | | Stan Schumacher 5,049 59.07% | | Sid Holt 1,658 19.40% | | Roger Nelson 1,800 21.06% | | | Stan Schumacher |
| Dunvegan | | Glen Clegg 4,049 56.12% | | Jim Gurnett 2,603 36.08% | | R. Gerald Eherer 550 7.62% | | | Glen Clegg |
| Edmonton-Avonmore | | James Albers 3,831 30.17% | | Marie Laing 5,290 41.66% | | Don Massey 3,562 28.05% | | | Marie Laing |
| Edmonton-Belmont | | Walter R. Szwender 3,093 23.65% | | Thomas Sigurdson 5,319 40.67% | | Cathy Greco 4,644 35.51% | | | Thomas Sigurdson |
| Edmonton-Beverly | | Gary Kump 3,835 29.57% | | Ed W. Ewasiuk 6,408 49.41% | | Daryl Robb 2,520 19.43% | | Bonny Royce (Ind.) 188 1.45% | Ed W. Ewasiuk |
| Edmonton-Calder | | Aldo De Luca 2,709 21.66% | | Christie Mjolsness 5,338 42.69% | | Lance D. White 4,435 35.47% | | | Christie Mjolsness |
| Edmonton-Centre | | Don Clarke 3,217 30.29% | | William Roberts 4,440 41.80% | | Mary Molloy 2,821 26.56% | | | William Roberts |
| Edmonton-Glengarry | | John Belzerowski 3,759 24.72% | | John Younie 3,974 26.14% | | Laurence Decore 7,401 48.67% | | Robin Boodle (Comm.) 30 0.20% | John Younie |
| Edmonton-Glenora | | Nancy Betkowski 5,128 47.50% | | George Millar 2,709 25.09% | | Hal Annett 2,935 27.19% | | | Nancy Betkowski |
| Edmonton-Gold Bar | | Cathy Wyatt 4,381 30.29% | | Chris Tomaschuk 2,170 15.00% | | Bettie Hewes 7,833 54.16% | | Naomi Rankin (Comm.) 55 0.38% | Bettie Hewes |
| Edmonton-Highlands | | Ziad N. Jaber 2,415 27.28% | | Pam Barrett 4,997 56.44% | | Ken Kozak 1,673 18.90% | | | Pam Barrett |
| Edmonton-Jasper Place | | Leslie Gordon Young 4,503 31.64% | | John McInnis 4,966 34.90% | | Karen Leibovici 4,747 33.36% | | | Leslie Gordon Young |
| Edmonton-Kingsway | | Allen Wasnea 2,818 28.92% | | Alex McEachern 4,314 44.28% | | Joan Cowling 2,585 26.53% | | | Alex McEachern |
| Edmonton-Meadowlark | | Joan Majeski 4,421 31.24% | | William A. (Bill) Mullen 1,829 12.92% | | Grant Mitchell 7,877 55.66% | | | Grant Mitchell |
| Edmonton-Mill Woods | | Bas Roopnarine 3,475 24.73% | | Gerry Gibeault 5,824 41.44% | | Murray W. Scambler 4,729 33.65% | | | Gerry Gibeault |
| Edmonton-Norwood | | Dan Papirnik 1,519 20.64% | | Ray Martin 4,229 57.47% | | Luis C. Baptista 1,594 21.66% | | | Ray Martin |
| Edmonton-Parkallen | | Doug Main 6,169 40.06% | | Jim Selby 4,979 32.33% | | Nadene Thomas 4,203 27.29% | | | Neil S. Crawford |
| Edmonton-Strathcona | | Jack Scott 3,724 28.86% | | Gordon S.B. Wright 6,696 51.89% | | Philip Lister 2,437 18.88% | | | Gordon S.B. Wright |
| Edmonton-Whitemud | | Donald Ross Getty 8,005 43.28% | | Nao Fernando 2,099 11.35% | | Percy Wickman 8,350 45.14% | | | Donald Ross Getty |
| Fort McMurray | | Norman A. Weiss 4,245 49.30% | | Ann Dort-Maclean 2,740 31.82% | | James Carbery 1,606 18.65% | | | Norman A. Weiss |
| Grande Prairie | | Bob Elliott 5,319 52.52% | | Evelyn Vardalas 2,696 26.62% | | Irv Macklin 1,611 15.91% | | Murray Gauvreau (SoCred) 482 4.76% | Bob Elliott |
| Highwood | | Don Tannas 5,481 60.00% | | Janis Belgum 1,591 17.42% | | Don Dearle 2,024 22.16% | | | Harry E. Alger |
| Innisfail | | Gary Severtson 4,169 57.38% | | Larry Whaley 1,294 17.81% | | Bruce A. Jackson 1,761 24.24% | | | Nigel I. Pengelly |
| Lacombe | | Ron A. Moore 4,014 59.71% | | Cliff Reid 1,217 18.10% | | Roger Young 1,467 21.82% | | | Ron A. Moore |
| Lesser Slave Lake | | Pearl M. Calahasen 3,249 47.51% | | Philip G.S. Lukken 1,294 18.92% | | Denise C. Wahlstrom 2,286 33.43% | | | Larry R. Shaben |
| Lethbridge-East | | Archibald Dick Johnston 4,993 49.17% | | Sylvia A. Campbell 2,170 21.37% | | John I. Boras 2,973 29.28% | | | Archibald Dick Johnston |
| Lethbridge-West | | John Gogo 4,741 45.33% | | Joyce Green 2,483 23.74% | | Rhonda Ruston 3,210 30.69% | | | John Gogo |
| Little Bow | | Raymond Albert Speaker 3,907 79.43% | | Keith Ford 426 8.66% | | Elzien Schopman 579 11.77% | | | Raymond Albert Speaker |
| Lloydminster | | Doug Cherry 3,584 66.75% | | Gordon E. Swaters 849 15.81% | | Steve McLachlin 923 17.19% | | | Doug Cherry |
| Macleod | | LeRoy Fjordbotten 4,459 67.20% | | Mike Dawson 1,292 19.47% | | Darrell Piehl 856 12.90% | | | LeRoy Fjordbotten |
| Medicine Hat | | James Horsman 6,465 40.88% | | Wally Regehr 4,088 25.85% | | Garth Vallely 5,213 32.96% | | | James Horsman |
| Olds-Didsbury | | Roy Brassard 4,960 60.01% | | Tom Monto 842 10.19% | | Garfield Marks 1,182 14.30% | | Ray Young (SoCred) 1249 15.11% | Roy Brassard |
| Peace River | | Al (Boomer) Adair 3,749 57.62% | | Adele Gale Boucher 1,613 24.79% | | Erich Wahl 1,127 17.32% | | | Al (Boomer) Adair |
| Pincher Creek-Crowsnest | | Frederick Deryl Bradley 3,262 52.56% | | Mike Cooper 2,119 34.14% | | Stan Stoklosa 811 13.07% | | | Frederick Deryl Bradley |
| Ponoka-Rimbey | | Halvar C. Jonson 3,729 59.81% | | Doug Hart 1,667 26.74% | | Ervan Stobbe 808 12.96% | | | Halvar C. Jonson |
| Red Deer-North | | Stockwell Day 3,652 48.10% | | Gerry Clayton 1,427 18.80% | | Bernie Fritze 2,260 29.77% | | Cory Lanterman (Ind.) 231 3.04% | Stockwell Day |
| Red Deer-South | | John Oldring 4,637 49.39% | | Linda Ross 1,840 19.60% | | Roxanne V. Prior 2,874 30.61% | | | John Oldring |
| Redwater-Andrew | | Steve Zarusky 4,366 52.83% | | Chris Ewasiuk 2,359 28.55% | | Dennis Holowaychuk 1,525 18.45% | | | Steve Zarusky |
| Rocky Mountain House | | Ty Lund 4,392 59.59% | | Dolly (Martin) Brown 1,727 23.43% | | Bob Paston 1,224 16.61% | | | John Murray Campbell |
| Sherwood Park | | Peter Elzinga 6,462 46.60% | | Ted Paszek 3,088 22.27% | | John Convey 4,299 31.00% | | | Peter Elzinga |
| Smoky River | | Walter Paszkowski 3,575 50.82% | | Bill Termeer 1,721 24.47% | | Duane Dutka 1,398 19.87% | | Roy Housworth (SoCred) 332 4.72% | Marvin Moore |
| St. Albert | | Dick Fowler 6,590 45.20% | | Cheryl Wharton 3,552 24.36% | | Len Bracko 4,278 29.34% | | Archie Baldwin (Ind.) 147 1.01% | Bryan Strong |
| St. Paul | | John Drobot 2,931 45.95% | | Victor Chrapko 1,124 17.62% | | Paul Langevin 2,304 36.12% | | | John Drobot |
| Stettler | | Brian C. Downey 3,875 57.75% | | Fred J. Rappel 1,089 16.23% | | Frank Pickering 1,731 25.80% | | | Brian C. Downey |
| Stony Plain | | Jim Heron 4,604 36.54% | | Stan Woloshyn 4,699 37.29% | | Dan Fitze 2,732 21.68% | | John Torringa (SoCred) 557 4.42% | Jim Heron |
| Taber-Warner | | Robert Bogle 4,932 73.44% | | Charlene Vickers 782 11.64% | | Patrick (Pat) Flanagan 981 14.61% | | | Robert Bogle |
| Three Hills | | Connie Osterman 4,986 56.45% | | Fred Mertz 1,851 20.96% | | Peter Burch 1,245 14.10% | | Poul Wesch (SoCred) 741 8.39% | Connie Osterman |
| Vegreville | | Gordon Miller 3,806 41.61% | | Derek Fox 4,865 53.19% | | Frederick G. Paasche 448 4.90% | | | Derek Fox |
| Vermilion-Viking | | Steve West 4,086 63.44% | | Grant Bergman 1,078 16.74% | | Greg Michaud 1,252 19.44% | | | Steve West |
| Wainwright | | Robert A. (Butch) Fischer 4,009 67.54% | | Willy Kelch 1,182 19.91% | | Joseph A. Vermette 726 12.23% | | | Robert A. (Butch) Fischer |
| West Yellowhead | | Ian Reid 3,109 36.72% | | Jerry J. Doyle 3,989 47.12% | | Sharron Johnstone 1,103 13.03% | | Harvey Ball (Ind.) 240 2.83% | Ian Reid |
| Westlock-Sturgeon | | Leo Seguin 4,958 41.08% | | Tom Turner 1,696 14.05% | | Nicholas Taylor 5,401 44.75% | | | Nicholas Taylor |
| Wetaskiwin-Leduc | | Donald H. Sparrow 5,761 46.59% | | Bruce Hinkley 3,133 25.34% | | George Carrier 3,446 27.87% | | | Donald H. Sparrow |
| Whitecourt | | Peter Trynchy 3,877 49.72% | | Gwen E. Symington 1,456 18.67% | | Jurgen Preugschas 2,432 31.19% | | | Peter Trynchy |