After a four-month leadership race, the Alberta Liberal Party has a new leader. And when the ballots were counted, Calgary Mountain-View MLA David Swann came out on top.
Swann was elected to his second term in office in March. Before entering politics, he spent 30 years working as a physician.
Many believe the new leader has his work cut out for him. The party has high debt, low membership and just nine legislative seats. Swann says it's time to rebuild the Alberta Liberals.
"I want to review everything in the party from our principles and values to our strategies and communications."
One thing Swann isn't ruling out as part of rebuilding the Alberta Liberal Party is changing its name. He says that decision will be made within the next year and a half.
"Every party becomes stereotyped with a particular set of values and principles and goals. I want to throw those open and find out what Albertans want in their sensible centre government, and that's where I intend to lead us."
Swann won the race with 2,468 votes. Dave Taylor was second with 1,600, and Mo Elsalhy finished third with 491. The defeated candidates say they hope to work with Swann as he overhauls the party.
Taylor says Liberals need to get over their history of being in the opposition
"We need to work on our own party culture and start thinking like a party that is capable of running for government rather than just running for second place."
Right now, the Alberta Liberal Party has just over 6-thousand members. Swann hopes to triple that within three years He says he also hopes to improve cooperation with MLA's from other parties.
Meanwhile, the Liberal's outgoing leader, Kevin Taft, says he has mixed feelings as he steps aside.
"There is a sense of, I don't know what the word is, but a sense of sadness at a passing of time, but happiness for the organization. And also, to be honest, there is a sense of relief because there is a real burden of being leader of the Opposition."
Swann will take on that burden when the Legislature resumes in the New Year.
