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Though receiving 11% of the vote in 1940 the CCF was unable to elect any MLAs. In 1945 the CCF received 24% of the vote but was able to elect only 2 MLAs due to the dominance of Social Credit (which received over 50% of ballots cast). Through the 1940s and 1950s the CCF's percentage of the vote declined, eventually falling under 10% of the vote, and they were never able to win more than elect more than the two MLAs they managed in 1945 and were reduced to a one or no MLAs through the 1950s.
The CCF merged with the labour movement in 1961 becoming the New Democratic Party of Canada. In Alberta, the new party was unable to build on the CCFs provincial base and did not elect any MLAs until 1971.
With the election of the Alberta Progressive Conservatives in 1971, Social Credit gradually collapsed while the Alberta Liberal Party suffered due to its links with the federal Liberal Party of Canada government of Pierre Trudeau which was very unpopular in Alberta.
The decline of Social Credit and unpopularity of the Liberals gave the New Democrats an opportunity to become the focus of opposition to the Lougheed Tories. Popularity of the NDP gradually increased under leader Grant Notley who led the party from 1968 until his tragic death in a plane crash in 1984 and was the party's sole MLA until 1982. In the 1971 the NDP surpassed the 10% barrier climbing to 18.75% in the 1982 election in which they become the Official Opposition though with only two seats.
In 1986, under Ray Martin the party (now known as the NDs to distinguish itself from the federal NDP achieved a major breakthrough winning almost 30% of the vote and 16 seats. This was the apex of New Democrat support. With the departure of Pierre Trudeau from the federal scene the Alberta Liberals began a revival. The New Democrats were unable to gain any additional seats in the 1989 election. However, though they were still the Official Opposition in the legislature by virtue of having more seats than the Liberals, the ND's popular support fell behind the Liberals (26% to the Liberal's 28%) for the first time in decades making that party the focus of renewed interest for those opposing the governing Tories.
With the Liberal Party as the new hope for leading an anti-Tory coalition support for the New Democrats collapsed and in 1993 their popular vote fell by more than half to 11% and they lost all their seats in the legislature. The party was able to regain their foothold in the legislature winning two seats in 1997 and 2001 but have been unable to break the 10% popular vote barrier or regain their position as Official Opposition.