Advance Voting Opens for Alberta Referendum Featuring 10 Questions on Constitution and Separation
Advance voting has begun for an Alberta provincial referendum featuring 10 questions on immigration, constitutional changes, and potential separation from Canada. Elections Alberta reports a massive surge in special ballot requests and has hired over 44,000 workers to manage expected high turnout.
Advance voting for the Alberta provincial referendum is underway from October 13 to October 17, ahead of the main election day on October 19. Albertans will receive 10 ballots to answer 10 different questions. The first nine questions relate to immigration and the Constitution, while the tenth asks if the Government of Alberta should commence legal processes for a binding referendum on separating from Canada.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith stated she hopes Albertans vote yes to the first nine questions to gain leverage for negotiating with the federal government. However, Grace Skogstad, a professor emeritus at the University of Toronto, noted that the Alberta government lacks full authority to act on certain constitutional questions, such as abolishing the Senate, which requires Senate approval. Skogstad also argued that Question four is challenging to interpret because it combines two distinct issues: charging fees for non-permanent residents accessing healthcare and education systems.
Prime Minister Mark Carney described separation as a "long, uncertain process" and emphasized that Canada cannot achieve national interests if divided. In early October, the Government of Canada listed the Pacific Link pipeline as a project of national interest; it would be equally owned by the governments of Canada and Alberta.
Elections Alberta spokesperson Michelle Gurney reported receiving 650,000 special ballot requests, a significant increase from the 59,000 received during the 2023 provincial general election. To accommodate the large number of voters and ballots, Elections Alberta has hired more than 44,000 election workers. An Ipsos poll conducted in September found that 81 per cent of Albertans plan to vote in the referendum, and 62 per cent intend to vote on all 10 questions.