The Pollcast: What the Wildrose-PC merger vote means for Alberta politics

The CBCPollcast, hosted by CBC poll analyst ric Grenier, explores the world of electoralpolitics,political polls and the trends they reveal.

The right is settovoteon whether to unite in Alberta.

The impact of that vote merging the Alberta Progressive Conservatives with Wildrose in order to take on the governing New Democrats in 2019 will be enormous, whether or not members of the two parties decide to come together.

• Jason Kenney outspent rivals to take PC leadership
• Podcasts: Subscribe to the CBCPollcast

Jason Kenney, who became leader of the PCs earlier this year on a platform of merging with Wildrose, is expected to have an easier timeaccomplishing his goal. The Progressive Conservatives have set a threshold of a simple majority to go ahead with the merger.

Wildrose, which under Brian Jean forms the official opposition in the Alberta legislature, has set a higher bar at 75 per cent. Jean also hascampaigned for the merger, but the result from a party originally formed by people opposed to the PCs is far less certain.

If the merger goes ahead, Kenney and Jean will be among the candidates running to lead what will be dubbed the United Conservative Party. But will all supporters of the two older parties stick with the new entity?

To discuss the potential outcomes of the merger vote and their consequences, Pollcast host ric Grenier is joined by Alberta pollster Janet Brown and the CBC's Kim Trynacity.

Listen to the full discussion above or subscribe to the CBCPollcast and listen to past episodes.

Follow ric Grenier, Janet Brown and Kim Trynacity on Twitter.