2024 Alberta New Democratic Party leadership election

An Alberta New Democratic Party leadership election was held on June 22, 2024, due to leader Rachel Notley's announcement on January 16, 2024, that she would be resigning as leader of the New Democratic Party of Alberta, after a decade in the position, as soon as her successor is chosen. Notley served as Premier of Alberta from 2015 to 2019 and was Leader of the Opposition at the time of her announcement, which was made almost eight months after the NDP lost the May 2023 Alberta general election.

Naheed Nenshi won the leadership election on the first ballot with 86% support.

Rules
Unlike the 2014 Alberta New Democratic Party leadership election in which a weighted voting system was used giving unions and affiliated organizations up to 20 per cent of the vote, the 2024 election allocated 100 per cent of the vote to individual party members. Ranked ballots were used; as well as the Instant-runoff voting system to determine the winner. Voting was conducted online, by telephone, and by mail.

To qualify to be on the ballot a candidate must: be approved by the Leadership Race Approvals Committee, complete a registration and disclosure form along with a $1,500 research fee, submit three separate registrations fees by their respective deadlines (see Timeline), and submit the signatures of a minimum of 50 nominators who are members in good standing. Candidates must secure 10 nominations from residents in each of the following regions: Edmonton constituencies, Northern Alberta constituencies, Central Alberta constituencies, Calgary constituencies, and Southern Alberta constituencies. At least one nominator from each region must self-identify as a woman, and at least one must must self-identify as equity seeking. At least 25 nominators overall must identify as women, and at least 20 nominators overall must identify as members belonging to equity seeking groups which include persons of colour, Indigenous, living with a disability, youth, and 2SLGBTQ+.

Timeline

 * January 16, 2024 - Rachel Notley announced her intention to resign as leader once her successor is chosen at a leadership election.
 * January 27, 2024 - The party's provincial council met in Red Deer to decide on the rules and timeline for the leadership vote.
 * February 5, 2024 - Leadership race begun.
 * February 5, 2024 - Kathleen Ganley announced her candidacy.
 * February 7, 2024 - David Shepherd registered his candidacy with Elections Alberta, but does not announce his candidacy.
 * February 8, 2024 - Rakhi Pancholi announced her candidacy.
 * February 9, 2024 - David Shepherd announced he would not seek leadership due to health concerns, and withdraws his candidacy from Elections Alberta.
 * February 11, 2024 - Sarah Hoffman announced her candidacy.
 * February 24, 2024 - Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse announced her candidacy.
 * February 26, 2024 - Gil McGowan announced his intention to seek candidacy.
 * March 11, 2024 - Former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi announced his candidacy.
 * March 15, 2024 - Candidate registration deadline, $18,500 nomination fee due.
 * March 26, 2024 - Pancholi withdrew from the leadership race, and endorsed Nenshi.
 * April 22, 2024 - Membership deadline for voting eligibility, $20,000 entrance fee due.
 * April 25, 2024 - The first official leadership debate was held, at the Yates Memorial Theatre in Lethbridge.
 * May 11, 2024 - The second official leadership debate is held, at the BMO Centre in Calgary.
 * May 12, 2024 - Balloting deadline, $20,000 balloting fee due.
 * May 13, 2024 - Gil McGowan withdraws.
 * May 22, 2024 - Voting period begins.
 * June 2, 2024 - The third and final official leadership debate is held, at the Edmonton Convention Centre in Edmonton.
 * June 22, 2024 - Deadline to vote at 12:00 PM. Leadership race ends.

Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse
Background

Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse is the MLA for Edmonton-Rutherford (2023–present). She identifies as Mohawk and Cree from the Michel First Nation.


 * Date candidacy declared: February 24, 2024
 * Date candidacy registered with Elections Alberta: February 22, 2024
 * Date candidacy approved: February 23, 2024
 * Campaign website: voteforjodi.ca
 * Campaign slogan: Stronger Together

Policies

Calahoo Stonehouse has proposed environmental policies including an "Albertans Right to Water Act," creating a council of youth and elders to advise on rights of nature, and investing in water technologies centre at the University of Lethbridge. Calahoo Stonehouse also proposed the "Alberta Royalty Dividend" policy, when the price of oil goes above C$70 per barrel, a share of royalty payments which the Alberta Government collects would go directly to Albertans. Calahoo Stonehouse's education policy includes curriculum reform including implementing history of Treaties and the Residential School system, stopping the scheduling of exams on significant days of observance, improving resources and funding for school boards, and ending the historic rates of dealth of children in the care of Alberta Children's Services. Calahoo Stonehouse also committed to labour rights, opposing undermining collective agreements, and repealing the Restoring Balance in Alberta's Workplaces Act, 2020.

Kathleen Ganley
Background

Katheen Ganley, is the MLA for Calgary-Mountain View (2019–present) and former MLA for Calgary-Buffalo (2015–2019). She previously served as Minister of Justice and Solicitor General (2015–2019) and Minister of Aboriginal Affairs (2015–2016).
 * Date candidacy declared: February 5, 2024
 * Date candidacy registered with Elections Alberta: February 5, 2024
 * Date candidacy approved: February 6, 2024
 * Campaign website: teamganley.ca/
 * Campaign slogan: Work Together, Win Together

Policies

Ganley proposed immediately raising the minimum wage to $16 per hour, and to $17 per hour in 2025. She also committed to increasing the basic income tax exemption to $26,000, but higher earners would not receive the benefit.

Sarah Hoffman
Background

Sarah Hoffman, is the MLA for Edmonton-Glenora (2015–present). She previously served as Deputy Premier of Alberta (2016–2019), Minister of Health (2015–2019), Edmonton Public School Trustee (2010–2015), and Edmonton Public School Board of Trustees Chair (2012–2015).
 * Date candidacy declared: February 11, 2024
 * Date candidacy registered with Elections Alberta: February 5, 2024
 * Date candidacy approved: February 6, 2024
 * Campaign website: sarahhoffman.ca
 * Campaign slogan: Health. Climate. Housing.

Policies

Hoffman said she supports rent control and short term rent caps with increased housing supply.

Naheed Nenshi
Background

Naheed Nenshi is a former Mayor of Calgary (2010–2021). Before entering politics, Nenshi taught non-profit management in the Bissett School of Business at Mount Royal University and wrote a regular municipal affairs column for the Calgary Herald.


 * Date candidacy declared: March 11, 2024
 * Date candidacy registered with Elections Alberta: March 11, 2024
 * Date candidacy approved: March 11, 2024
 * Campaign website: nenshi.ca
 * Campaign slogan: For all of us.

Gil McGowan
Background

Gil McGowan is president of the Alberta Federation of Labour (2005–present). During the 2015 federal election, McGowan ran in Edmonton Centre for the federal NDP. On May 13, 2024, McGowan announced he would be withdrawing his candidacy due to being unable to pay the last instalment of the leadership race fees, which had been due on May 12, 2024.
 * Date candidacy declared: February 26, 2024
 * Date candidacy registered with Elections Alberta: March 7, 2024
 * Date candidacy approved: March 7, 2024
 * Date withdrew: May 13, 2024
 * Campaign website: gilforalberta.ca
 * Campaign slogan: Building a winning coalition

Policies

McGowan had released five "big ideas" out of seven. The first focused on energy transition through Lougheed-inspired industrial policy and made reference to the Alberta Federation of Labour's Skate to Where the Puck is Going report. The second focused on addressing wage growth in Alberta by pursuing policies to target productivity like industrial policy and direct government investment, by encouraging tight labor markets, and by pursuing pro-union policies. The third focused on affordability by, among other things, introducing rent controls, public auto insurance, and an excess profit penalty. The fourth called for a strengthening of public healthcare and addressing the staffing crisis in healthcare and specifically primary care, and the fifth was to defend public education through funding increases, reducing class sizes, and improving staff wages.

Rakhi Pancholi
Rakhi Pancholi is the MLA for Edmonton-Whitemud (2019–present). On March 26, 2024, Pancholi announced she would no longer be pursuing the leadership, and endorsed Naheed Nenshi.
 * Background
 * Date candidacy declared: February 8, 2024
 * Date candidacy registered with Elections Alberta: February 7, 2024
 * Date candidacy approved: February 7, 2024
 * Date withdrew: March 26, 2024
 * Campaign website: voterakhi.ca/
 * Campaign slogan: Rakhi for Alberta

David Shepherd
Background

David Shepherd is the MLA for Edmonton-City Centre (2019–present), formerly MLA for Edmonton-Centre (2015–2019). On February 9, 2024, Shepherd announced he would no longer be pursuing the leadership due to ongoing health challenges. Though Shepherd had registered his leadership campaign with Elections Alberta, Shepherd withdrew before he made a public declaration of candidacy. On April 3, 2024, Shepherd announced he was endorsing Naheed Nenshi.


 * Date candidacy declared: January 29, 2024 (to Elections Alberta)
 * Date candidacy registered with Elections Alberta: February 7, 2024
 * Date candidacy approved: February 7, 2024
 * Date withdrew: February 9, 2024

Declined

 * Deron Bilous, MLA for Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview (2012–2023), former Minister of Economic Development
 * Joe Ceci, MLA for Calgary-Buffalo (2015–present), former Minister of Finance
 * Court Ellingson, MLA for Calgary-Foothills (2023–present) (endorsed Nenshi)
 * Todd Hirsch, director of Energy Transition Centre at Innovate Calgary (2023–present), chief economist at ATB Financial (2007–2022)
 * Rhiannon Hoyle, MLA for Edmonton-South (2023–present)
 * Janis Irwin, MLA for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood (2019–present)
 * Samir Kayande, MLA for Calgary-Elbow, (2023–present) (endorsed Nenshi)
 * Shannon Phillips, MLA for Lethbridge-West (2015–present), former Minister of Environment and Parks (2015–2019) (endorsed Ganley)
 * Irfan Sabir, MLA for Calgary-Bhullar-McCall (2015–present), former Minister of Community and Social Services (2015–2019) (endorsed Ganley)