A lot of people look at the voter turnout and shake their heads and wag the fingers at those who don’t go to the polls. In Alberta, something like 40% of people voted the PCs to a landslide victory. 73 seats is quite a mandate.

What about the other 60%?

It’s easy to say that they didn’t care enough to vote. (In a million years, I’m not going to buy the “too busy excuse.” You’re employer HAS TO give you time off if you otherwise don’t have time in your day. Furthermore, you should be able plan a 15 minute task with a month’s notice.) The reality may not be laziness at all. Maybe that 60% pulled into the driveway of the home they own after working a lucrative job for eight hours and thought to themselves, “I see no need to vote. Things are ducky as they are.”

Yeah, I know. It’s the wrong idea and not the best use of the political process, but it’s probably a fairly honest reflection of the mentality of your average Albertan.

The result, a huge majority, is indicative of what Albertans want; an economy that will continue to grow while news of an American recession dominates the business pages.

It was a truly boring election with few issues worth remembering. In the end, Ed Stelmach looks better than anybody could have imagined.