Pierre Poilievre wins Alberta by-election, here’s how the Longest Ballot Committee tried to meddle with the elections and over 100 candidates got zero votes

Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre secured a vital victory in the August 18, 2025, by-election for the rural Alberta riding of Battle River-Crowfoot, reclaiming his seat in the House of Commons after losing his Ottawa-area riding earlier this year. This victory marks a crucial turning point for Poilievre's leadership amid growing pressures following the Conservative Party's defeat in the spring federal election.

Poilievre emerged as a clear winner with a massive lead of nearly 80% votes in his favour. Battle River–Crowfoot riding has 85,736 registered voters and at the time of publishing this report 205 out of the 286 polls were reporting.

Why the by-election?

The by-election was triggered after Conservative MP Damien Kurek stepped down in June 2025, just weeks after being re-elected with more than 80% of the vote in the April 2025 federal election. Kurek resigned explicitly to allow party leader Poilievre to run for a seat in Parliament after Poilievre lost his longtime riding of Carleton to Liberal candidate Bruce Fanjoy. Kurek's resignation opened the path for Poilievre to contest in this safe Conservative seat, known for its vast geography and strong right-leaning voter base.

Poilievre’s return to Parliament is seen as critical, as he had been sidelined since April and unable to participate in House proceedings, weakening his ability to challenge Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government publicly. The by-election was widely viewed as a must-win for Poilievre, with a second defeat likely precipitating calls for his resignation and a potential leadership review.

The Longest Ballot Committee protest

The by-election garnered national attention not just for its political significance but also due to the unprecedented protest mounted by the Longest Ballot Committee (LBC), a group advocating for electoral reform, particularly the replacement of Canada's first-past-the-post system. The LBC aims to flood elections with candidates to complicate voting and highlight how the current system fails to adequately represent voters.

In this by-election, the committee succeeded in registering 201 out of 214 candidates on the ballot, shattering records and more than doubling the previous high of 91 candidates seen earlier in the year during the 2025 Carleton federal election.

Most were independent or fringe candidates affiliated with the protest, forcing Elections Canada to adopt a write-in ballot system rather than the usual printed list of names. Voters received a blank ballot and had to write the name of their preferred candidate, a move designed to reduce confusion stemming from the extraordinarily long candidate list.

Despite this innovative attempt, the protest effort ultimately failed to prevent Poilievre’s win. Independent candidates, including some not affiliated with the LBC, voiced skepticism about the protest’s effectiveness. Pierre Poilievre himself dismissed the protest as a scam, advocating for regulatory changes to curtail such tactics in future elections.

Election day and voter turnout

The riding's history of Conservative dominance, with previous candidates routinely winning more than 70% of the vote, contributed to Poilievre's robust margin. The exact vote counts are pending final certified results but projections show a decisive re-entry for Poilievre.

Poilievre faced Independent candidate Bonnie Critchley, who held a distant second place in the voting.

Other contenders included Darcy Spady, an energy sector professional representing the Liberal Party, and Katherine Swampy, a former band councillor for the Samson Cree Nation, who was the New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate.

Implications for Canadian politics

This victory restores Poilievre’s parliamentary presence, allowing him to directly challenge the Liberal government in official proceedings. It also temporarily quells leadership uncertainties within the Conservative Party since Poilievre will face a formal leadership review at the next party convention in early 2026.

Political commentators note that while the Battle River-Crowfoot riding is a Conservative stronghold, Poilievre’s return is vital as he positions himself for the next federal election. He has focused on critiquing the Liberal government’s handling of trade tensions, economic policies, and promises of support for energy-producing regions like Alberta.