Council to advocate for urban electoral boundary reversion

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on January 7, 2026.

Coun. Bill Cocks speaks during a regular meeting in November as Couns. Chris Hellman and Ted Clugston look on. Council will be formally applying to have the city's provincial electoral boundaries revert to how it was before the latest change.--NEWS PHOTO BRENDAN MILLER

newsdesk@medicinehatnews.com

Council will submit an application next week to change the city’s current electoral boundaries to represent a more “urbanized” riding of Medicine Hat voters.

Coun. Bill Cocks confirmed that council will present its submission to the Alberta Electoral Boundary Commission next Friday, Jan. 16, and will advocate a return to similar electoral boundaries from the past.

“We are the sixth largest city in the province and should have an MLA that represents the urban core of this city, as much as the many ridings in Edmonton and Calgary,” said Cocks.

Cocks explains council is seeking a return to former electoral boundaries of the two ridings, Cypress Medicine Hat and Medicine Hat, where the boundary line was along Carry Drive.

“We certainly have lots in common with Cypress County, albeit it’s a rural riding, but that’s a big part of our service community,” said Cocks. “Brooks on the other hand is also a city and its interests are not always in direct alignment with ours.”

The decision to seek a boundary change underwent a partisan political process and Cocks assured council and the public that all political sides were represented throughout the process.

Cocks will meet with the Electoral Boundary Commission online at 2 p.m. on Jan. 16.