A Lethbridge woman has announced she is running as a candidate to take over for Shannon Phillips as the Lethbridge-West MLA.
On August 7, Bridget Mearns said she is officially entering the race to win the NDP nomination for the riding.
She says she can be a strong advocate for issues that matter to the community, like the Canada Pension Plan, healthcare and school class sizes.
Mearns adds that Naheed Nenshi being named leader of the Alberta NDP served as an inspiration for her to enter the race.
“What I really like about his style is that he doesn’t go after a person, he goes after policy and he has a message of hope, but he also brings the idea of Alberta as a whole,” she told MyLethbridgeNow. “To the party specifically, he’s broadened the umbrella, so there’s a home there for many people who have felt that they don’t have a home.”
Mearns served two terms on Lethbridge City Council and previously ran for mayor in the 2021 municipal election, losing to current city mayor Blaine Hyggen.
She says community support is something she brings with her to this race.
“I have been out there, I am known, I did win all of the polls in Lethbridge-West during the mayoral race, so I feel that that confidence that was already shown in me is a great place to be starting from,” Mearns remarks.
The NDP captured a seat in the riding in 2023 following the re-election of Shannon Phillips. However, Phillips announced her resignation from the role earlier this summer, leaving the seat vacant and resulting in the need for a by-election.
READ MORE: Lethbridge-West MLA Shannon Phillips resigns
Mearns praises the work done by Phillips as MLA for the riding.
“There will never be another Shannon, but I’m happy to continue the work that she does. She’s been a great advocate for Lethbridge, she’s been a great advocate on the issues that matter [and] absolutely, I intend to do the same.”
Individuals can obtain their NDP membership by Friday, August 23. The nomination meeting will be held on Saturday, September 7. Only registered members of the Lethbridge-West NDP constituency can vote in the nomination.
READ MORE: Alberta NDP opens Lethbridge-West candidate nominations for by-election
