EDMONTON — Elections Alberta said Monday it has received 11 times more requests for mail-in ballots and has hired thousands more workers for the upcoming vote on separation than it did in the last provincial election. The agency said that the increase could be because there are 10 questions on the ballot for the Oct. 19 referendum and Albertans are generally more interested in voting. It said it could also be because some voting rules have relaxed since the 2023 Alberta election. The agency has recorded about 658,000 requests for special ballots ahead of the referendum, which is about 600,000 more than the requests it received in the 2023 election that saw Premier Danielle Smith elected. “Nearly 100,000 have been received back and approved, and those electors marked as voted,” Elections Alberta said about the special ballots. It said nearly 59,000 people have applied to work as election officers in the referendum, with 34,000 officially hired. About 13,000 people worked in the 2023 election. In June, the agency said it needed at least 60,000 workers for the referendum. It said it’s still looking for more people to work at rural voting stations. The referendum will see Albertans vote on 10 questions put forward by Smith’s United Conservative Party government, including whether the province should stay in Canada or hold a second, binding vote on leaving Confederation. Elections officials have said they’re preparing for a record voter turnout. Smith said the number of requests for mail-in ballots shows that Albertans want to take their time with it. “They want to read through the questions and they want to make sure that they don’t have long lineups at the polls,” she told an unrelated news conference Monday. “These are important questions for us to resolve, and I’m looking forward to seeing the outcome.” The deadline to submit a request for mail-in ballots passed at midnight Friday. All special ballots must be returned by Oct. 16 at 5 p.m. On Oct. 13, Albertans can start voting in person at advance polling stations, which will be open until Oct. 17. By Fakiha Baig This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 28, 2026.
