RED DEER, Alta. -- Alberta Premier Danielle Smith received a dominating 91.5 per cent vote of support from her United Conservative Party members in a scheduled leadership review vote on Saturday.
That number is far higher than the 54 per cent Smith got when she won the party leadership in 2022. That same year, her predecessor, Jason Kenney, received 51 per cent and soon after resigned.
"I'm truly humbled and honoured by the overwhelming support of our party members in my leadership," Smith said as thousands roared their approval and gave her a standing ovation almost a minute long.
"I want to thank all of you for everything that you've done to grow our movement and to make it stronger.
"Our party is more united than it has ever been."
About 6,000 members signed up for the meeting, and the party said 4,663 voted to approve to Smith.
While there is no mandated minimum level needed in such a vote, Smith said earlier Saturday she was hoping to beat 54 per cent.
Past conservative Alberta premiers Ed Stelmach and Alison Redford received 77 per cent in their leadership votes before being ousted later in caucus controversies.
In a speech to party members as voting began, Smith said everyone is not going to agree on everything all the time but they need to avoid destructive infighting and stay true to their conservative principles.
While there were concerns some party members were going to try to oust Smith over perceived broken campaign promises, many members and Smith's own cabinet donned buttons and T-shirts telling voters to back her.
Leading up to the convention, some political scientists said Smith's leadership likely wasn't in doubt and the question moving forward is whether or not Smith and her cabinet would stick to party members' policy wishes.
Smith told the cheering crowd she will stay the course.
"Together we will vigorously protect the rights and freedoms of Albertans and Alberta parents and children. Together we will build health and education systems that are among the best in the world," she said.
The party's bylaws require one leadership review every three years, meaning Smith likely won't face such a review again until after the next provincial election in 2027, if she seeks a second term.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 2, 2024.