The Athabasca electoral district would return a single member to the Legislative Assembly through first-past-the-post system of voting from 1905 until 1924, when the United Farmers government introduced the new The Alberta Election Act which would institute instant-runoff voting in rural electoral districts throughout the province.

The district consisted mostly of undeveloped wilderness covering the eastern half of northern Alberta.

In 1905 the primary occupation was hunting and trapping and the local economy existed around the fur trade.

The town of Athabasca, which was the only major settlement in the district, was experiencing a boom at that time as people flocked north to buy real estate.

[7] The provincial Conservative party being very weak in organization in northern Alberta was unable to find a candidate to oppose him.

The plebiscite was intended to deal with the growing demand for reforming antiquated liquor control laws.