Riding Profile:

This west-central Calgary riding, founded in 1971, is bordered on the south by the Glenmore Reservoir, on the west by the city limits and Sarcee Trail, on the north by Richmond Road, Crowchild Trail, 34th Avenue and the Elbow River, and on the east mostly by Macleod Trail. The 2004 redistribution expanded the riding to take in some areas formerly of Calgary-Currie.

The average household income is $93,140 a year. Professional services are the big employer, followed by retail and health and social services. Fewer than nine per cent of residents are low income -significantly under the Alberta average. Average housing values run to $271,000, the second-highest in Alberta. More than 16 per cent of residents are immigrants, while 48 per cent were born in the province.

 

Political History:

This is Premier Ralph Klein's home riding. Klein was first elected here in 1989, when he edged past Liberal Gib Clark by 823 votes. Klein was sworn in as premier in 1992 and since then his wins have been more comfortable. In 2001 he beat Liberal Harold Swanson by more than 5,000 votes. Tory Dave Russell reigned in Calgary-Elbow from 1971-89, and he served as deputy premier from 1986-89.

In 2001, voter turnout was 61.8 per cent.