Vote to send a message
Reflections on the Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills Byelection
On June 23rd, the people of Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills (ODTH) have a decision to make, not just about who will fill their vacant seat in the legislature, but about whether this riding still believes in democracy. Whether they will be leaders in Alberta who shape the future, or followers who serve a leader. This byelection is an opportunity to send a clear message to Edmonton and Ottawa: Alberta will no longer be abused.
ODTH is not just another rural riding. It is one of the most conservative and politically engaged ridings in Alberta. In 1982, it sent Gordon Kesler of the Western Canada Concept to the Legislature, the first and only separatist MLA ever elected in Alberta. That victory sent shockwaves across the country. More recently, the riding helped launch the Wildrose by electing Will Taylor. It was also one of the ridings with the highest membership in both the 2017 and 2022 UCP leadership races.
Byelections are unpredictable. Turnout is low. A small, motivated group of people can have a huge impact. In the Lethbridge-West byelection last year, overall voter turnout collapsed to 36%. That means your vote counts for more in a byelection than in a general election. The outcome won’t change who governs, the UCP will still hold 48 out of 87 seats even if all three byelections are won by opposition parties.
This isn’t just a chance to send a message about independence. It is an opportunity to hold Danielle Smith and the UCP accountable for the anti-democratic actions they’ve taken recently.
There was no nomination in ODTH. No local input. Just a straight-up appointment from the top. Tara Sawyer might be a farmer, but she wasn’t chosen by the people, she was handed a “safe” seat by the Premier. That’s not democracy. That is corrupt patronage.
Why did the UCP establishment want to avoid a nomination? Because they knew a pro-independence candidate would have a very good chance of winning in this riding. They didn’t want to give us a voice, so they shut it down. If we allow this kind of behaviour to go unpunished, it will only get worse.
Cam Davies is not new to politics. He has worked inside the UCP. He held high-level staff positions in the Wildrose. He knows how the system works, and he is using that knowledge to give us a chance at creating an independent Alberta.
As the leader of the Alberta Republican Party, the rebranded Buffalo Party, Davies is giving Alberta’s patriots a real chance to send a clear message. His platform is unapologetically pro-independence. He supports a binding referendum on Alberta’s future, which is the shared goal of all independence-minded organizations in Alberta, and specifically not the goal of the UCP government.
A win for Cam Davies and the Republican Party of Alberta would do four major things for the independence movement:
It would prove that independence is not a fringe movement in the province.
It would embarrass the UCP in one of its safest seats and force them to take rural Alberta seriously.
It would galvanize the independence movement and increase the number of people who believe an independent Alberta is possible.
It would make Alberta independence a much bigger media story both nationally and internationally.
Even a strong second-place finish with 25–30% of the vote would be an incredible achievement for a party that launched two and a half months ago. But if Cam Davies is elected, it will send shockwaves.
There are 39,185 eligible voters in the riding. In 2023, only 24,209 cast a ballot in the general election. Byelections usually see half the turnout of a general election, but this particular byelection is happening during graduation season, spraying season, and the beginning of Alberta’s short and cherished summer. Voter turnout may not even clear 25%. It is very possible that fewer than 10,000 people will cast a vote in this election.
The winner of this election will likely receive fewer than 4,500 votes. That means 4,500 committed Albertan independence supporters could change the course of history and send a message that cannot be ignored by either Edmonton or Ottawa.
This is more than a byelection, it’s a test. A test of whether the people of ODTH are still willing to lead, to defy political machines, and to speak plainly in a world ruled by cowards and careerists. It’s a chance to prove that independence is not just an idea whispered in frustration but a demand shouted at the ballot box.
You are not powerless. The establishment wants you to believe that your vote doesn’t matter, that nothing will change. But in a low-turnout race like this, your vote could tip the balance. You could be one of just 4,500 people needed to rewrite Alberta’s political narrative and force both Edmonton and Ottawa to confront the fact that the grassroots aren’t going away, and we’re no longer asking politely.
Why did they call it the Alberta Republican Party? That is surely very offputting, including to most Albertans who support sovereignty. It sounds like they're larping as Americans.