Elections Alberta has reported a significant surge in special ballot requests for the upcoming Oct. 19 referendum, with over 650,000 requests received. Of these, nearly 100,000 special ballots have been approved and returned by voters. The total number of requests is expected to slightly change as all final requests are processed before the Sept. 25 deadline.
Maia Hanrahan, spokesperson for Elections Alberta, stated in a news release that they are currently handling a high volume of requests, with approximately 35,000 applications still pending approval. This surge in special ballot requests represents a notable increase compared to the 2023 provincial general election, where just over 59,000 requests were received.
The agency mentioned that more than 82% of special ballot requests have been approved for mailing, with a minimal 0.7% rejection rate. This increase in requests is attributed to the new option for all eligible voters to cast a special ballot without providing a reason, as well as the requirement for voters to cast their ballots within their electoral division for advanced voting or at their designated location on Oct. 19.
The referendum will feature 10 questions, including one about Alberta’s continued membership in Canada or the initiation of a binding referendum on secession by the provincial government. The last day to mail in a special ballot for the referendum is Oct. 16 at 5 p.m., as special ballots cannot be submitted in person.
Voters who have cast their ballots by special ballot are encouraged to track their ballot online to confirm it has been received by Elections Alberta. Those whose special ballots have not been marked as received by Oct. 18 at 5 p.m. will still be eligible to vote in person on election day.
Canada Post advises voters to mail their special ballots by Oct. 9 to ensure timely delivery to Elections Alberta by the Oct. 16 deadline.
