Despite narrowly winning the United Conservative Party (UCP) leadership review with 51.4% of the vote, Jason Kenney has announced he will step down as leader and premier when the party selects a new leader in the coming weeks.
The UCP received thousands of ballots from members tasked with determining the premier’s political future.
Vote counting took place on Wednesday at 4 p.m. and lasted until 6 p.m. MT. The accounting firm Deloitte was hired by the party to oversee the ballot count and audit the results.
The party reported 34,298 votes cast. Kenney won the race with 17,638 (51.4%) of members voting to have him stay on. This compares to 16,660 (48.6%) of members who voted to have him removed from the top post.
After the results were announced Kenney gave a speech to supporters, saying the result was not what he hoped for or expected and that he was stepping down as UCP leader.
“While 51% of the vote passes the constitutional threshold of a majority, it clearly is not adequate support to continue on as leader,” Kenney said. “That is why tonight I’ve informed the president of the party of my intention to step down as leader of the United Conservative Party.”
“…(A) large number of our members have asked for an opportunity to clear the air through a leadership election,” Kenney continued. “And I’ve recommended therefore that the provincial board schedule a leadership election in a timely fashion.”
“It’s clear that the past two years were deeply divisive for our province…It is my fervent hope that in the months to come we all move on past the division of Covid.”
“We continue to get the job done as a team. But clearly, a large number of our members want to clear the air with a leadership election. And I fully respect their decision. And I encourage all members to do the same. While we have our internal differences, we must remember to remember the shared values that unite us as conservatives and we must always remember the promise of Alberta – this great land of opportunity where dreams come true and anyone can achieve their God-given potential.”
Recently elected MLA and opponent of Kenney Brian Jean had called for Kenney to receive more than the required 50% plus one to maintain the confidence of the party membership.
Kenney had addressed the issue of voter percentage while in Washington, D.C. on Monday.
“People who are saying (I have) to get, say, 90 per cent or something really aren’t appreciating the different context of this,” said Kenney. “I don’t expect many of those people to stick around. They came into this vote to destabilize the government, and that cohort typically has never before been involved in a mainstream centre-right party.”
One president of a UCP constituency said prior to the vote that he would not believe the results no matter the outcome.
“We will not believe that result. We will not accept it, but we won’t even believe it, because our own polling here within our constituency is 72 percent against Premier Kenney,” said Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills president Rob Smith. “The results of tomorrow don’t matter. Our minds are made up, and I am sorry, but they don’t involve you.”
Albertans are slated to head to the polls for the 31st provincial election on May 29, 2023.
Polls have indicated that the Alberta NDP have a lead over the UCP. According to a Leger poll from Mar. 19, the Alberta NDP were leading with 44% of the vote, while the UCP sat at 35%.
