The district is mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.

The first incarnation of Calgary South East saw Social Credit MLA Art Dixon win his third term in office with a landslide majority.

Recently the area that comprises the new Calgary-South East has returned Progressive Conservative candidates with large majorities and has done so since the 1970s.

He tried to run for renomination but was defeated by Progressive Conservative candidate Rick Fraser and won't stand for re-election.

Shortly after the Progressive Conservatives merged with Wildrose in 2017, Fraser announced he would sit as an independent.