Elections Alberta Refutes Non-Resident Voting Claims Amid Ballot Surge

Elections Alberta refuted viral social media claims that its mail-in voting system for the October 19 referendum is open to non-residents. The controversy began on X after users shared screenshots showing they could submit special ballot applications using out-of-province addresses, such as those in Vancouver.

Agency officials clarified that while the initial application screen does not automatically block all unrecognized addresses, every submission undergoes manual human review against the voter registration system. To cast a ballot, voters must provide government-issued identification proving Alberta residence. A test conducted by The Canadian Press confirmed that an application using a Vancouver address was denied.

As the application period for mail-in ballots closed at midnight on September 25, the agency reported receiving 673,000 requests. This represents a massive increase from the 60,000 requests seen during the 2023 general election, a surge attributed to relaxed mail-in voting rules.

The referendum features 10 questions proposed by the government of Premier Danielle Smith, including a high-profile proposal on whether Alberta should remain in Canada or seek separation. Mail-in ballots must be returned by October 16, with in-person advance polling scheduled for October 13 to October 17.