Strategic voting could be key in 3 tight Calgary races

The discussion about strategic voting in the current federal election isheating up with close contests emerging in at least three Calgary ridings.

Liberal candidate Kent Hehr says he's encouraged by polls showing signs that he is in a tight race with Conservative candidate Joan Crockatt in Calgary Centre.

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"It's not lost on me that this is an historic opportunity for us to send a non-Conservative to Ottawa," he said.

"My hope is that I am the progressive alternative."

Two other city ridings Calgary Skyview and CalgaryConfederation are also showing close contests between the Liberals and Conservatives.

It's all fuelling talk about strategic voting getting voters to support candidates with the best chance to beat the front-runner.

For Calgary Centre NDP candidate Jillian Ratti, whose chances could suffer if strategic voting takes hold, it's just a vocal minority touting the idea.

"Generally speaking, what I'm hearing at the door is a fair amount of support, so I'm not terribly worried about it," she said.

"I would say that the NDP is here because it doesn't believe that the Liberals are a good progressive option because they voted for [anti-terrorism bill] C-51, because they voted over 70 times with Stephen Harper."

Hill and Knowlton strategist Corey Hogan says the Liberals stand a better chance in ridings with more progressive voters.

"They want to grow that coalition by encouraging the New Democrats and the Greens to vote with the winning team, so to speak," he said.

"And so what the Liberals have to do and what the New Democrats are trying to stop them from doing is say there's a clear case we are the only ones that are in this race."

Mount Royal University political scientist Lori Williams has said strategic voting could be crucial in the three tight Calgary races as voters looking for change try to determine whichcandidate hasthe best chance of taking a seat fromthe incumbent.

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