Elections Alberta Manages 520,000 Special Ballot Requests for Referendum

Elections Alberta has received nearly 520,000 special-ballot applications for the October 19 referendum, which includes a proposal on whether the province should remain in Canada. The agency attributes the high volume to the removal of requirements to provide a reason for requesting a special ballot and the complexity of the 10 questions on the ballot.

As of September 17, the agency approved approximately 72 percent of applications, mailing over 330,000 packages and receiving 24,000 completed ballots. However, the agency reported a production error that sent 313 packages without ballots and noted that 7,200 applications were delayed due to typos and addressing errors. Replacement packages have been issued to those affected by the production error, and staff are working to resolve the remaining application delays.

To manage the event, the agency has hired 25,000 election officers but still faces critical staffing shortages in rural divisions, including Cardston-Siksika and Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo. Canada Post recommends mailing completed ballots by October 9 to meet the October 16 deadline.

Recently, the agency rejected online claims that non-residents could obtain special ballots, stating that applications require a valid voter record match and mandatory identification. The deadline to apply for a special ballot is September 25, with advance voting scheduled for October 13 to 17.