More than 500,000 Albertans have applied for mail-in voting in the upcoming referendum, as confirmed by Elections Alberta. A spokesperson stated on Thursday that over 509,000 requests for special ballots have been received, with a week remaining for electors to opt for this method. The surge in mail-in ballot requests has been observed for weeks leading up to the Oct. 19 referendum, with the current number exceeding eight times the special ballots requested during the 2023 provincial election.
The referendum on Oct. 19 will present 10 questions covering various topics, including a crucial query about Alberta’s continuity within Canada or the initiation of a binding referendum process on secession. Elections Alberta is also coordinating with correctional facilities to facilitate inmate voting via mail-in ballots. While the exact number of incarcerated individuals requesting ballots for the referendum is undisclosed, over 400 applied to vote in the 2023 election.
With nearly three million eligible voters in Alberta, approximately 17% have chosen to vote by mail this election, constituting a significant portion of the electorate. In contrast, the voter turnout in the previous provincial referendum in 2021 was around 39%.
Moreover, Elections Alberta is actively recruiting electoral workers for referendum day, aiming to enlist 60,000 individuals. The agency has initiated a recruitment campaign and sought assistance from electoral management bodies in other regions of Canada. As of Thursday, close to 48,000 people have applied to serve as election officers, with ongoing efforts to ensure adequate staffing in specific electoral divisions identified by the spokesperson.
Elections Alberta intends to continue the recruitment of election officers until the commencement of voting on referendum day to ensure smooth operations across all constituencies.