Edmonton: Advance voting begins this week for the high-stakes Alberta referendum, where voters will decide on crucial issues, including whether the province should remain part of Canada or separate. The main polling day is scheduled for October 19. A massive surge in mail-in ballot applications points toward what could be record-breaking voter turnout. Maya Handahan, a spokesperson for Elections Alberta, stated that the agency is fully prepared to ensure a smooth and seamless voting process.
Elections Alberta estimates that nearly 85 percent of the province’s 3 million registered voters will cast their ballots. Approximately 658,000 people applied for mail-in votes, of which over 300,000 completed ballots were returned by Friday. Conducting the election requires 45 million ballot papers and more than 60,000 staff members to count them, with about 44,000 workers hired so far. Across the province, 310 advance polling stations and over 1,400 polling stations on the main voting day will be operational.
Premier Danielle Smith’s government has put a total of 10 questions before voters in the referendum. The central question asks whether Alberta should remain in Canada or initiate a second legal vote to separate from the country. Additionally, the ballot includes five questions regarding immigration law reforms and fees for temporary workers and residents accessing healthcare and education services, along with four questions granting the premier authority to negotiate with the federal government concerning the Canadian Constitution.
Some technical errors were reported regarding mail-in ballots, with officials noting that about 300 voters received papers missing certain questions, while paperwork for another 3,000 mail-in votes was incomplete. However, election authorities are directly contacting these voters to rectify the mistakes. While the opposition NDP has intensified criticism against the government, Premier Danielle Smith emphasized that the referendum is being managed efficiently. Authorities have urged voters to read through the questions in advance and cast their votes accurately.
