Progressive Conservative MLA George VanderBurg has been reelected in Whitecourt-Ste. Anne.
With all 73 polls across the riding reporting, VanderBurg had collected 6,373 votes, or 46 per cent of the ballots cast. Coming in a close second was Wildrose candidate and Whitecourt town Coun. Maryann Chichak, who garnered 6,003 votes, representing 43 per cent of the vote.
Pulling up the rear were NDP candidate Blue Knox with 754 votes, and Liberal candidate Vern Hardman with 745 votes. Both those candidates garnered five per cent of the ballots cast.
The race in the riding was a two-horse race from the moment the ballots started being counted at 8 p.m. When the results started rolling in, VanderBurg jumped out to a large lead and held on for the win. With only six polls reporting, he had already garnered 53 per cent of the votes, compared to 35 per cent for Chichak.
Overall, 13,875 people cast a ballot in Whitecourt-Ste. Anne. With 22,933 eligible to vote, that meant the voter turnout was 60.5 per cent. That turnout dwarfs the turnout from the 2008 election, which saw 9,932 people cast a ballot, for a turnout of 41.1 per cent.
