 In advance of the 1913 election , government @-@ sponsored redistribution legislation increased the number of ridings from 41 to 56 and left them of unequal size ; only 103 votes were cast in Clearwater in its first election . The Liberals argued that a model of straight representation by population was inappropriate in a province in which some districts were growing far more quickly than others . David Hall has called the bill a " flagrant gerrymander " and the ensuing election the " crookedest election in Alberta history " . There being few policy differences separating the Liberals from the Conservatives , the electoral battle was instead an organizational one , with the two sides accusing one another of bribing ethnic minorities with alcohol and importing elections workers from outside of the province to bribe , intimidate , and mislead rural voters . The Conservatives also accused the Liberals of using government @-@ paid civil servants to campaign for their re @-@ election . Sifton , not confident of victory in his own riding , sought election both there and in Macleod . In the event , he was defeated there but retained his Vermilion riding . 
