More than 650,000 Albertans have requested special ballots for the province’s upcoming referendum, marking a dramatic increase in mail-in voting compared with the 2023 provincial election. Elections Alberta said it has received approximately 658,000 requests for special ballots ahead of the October 19 referendum. Nearly 100,000 completed ballots have already been returned and approved, meaning those electors have been recorded as having voted. The number is more than 11 times the approximately 59,589 special-ballot requests received during Alberta’s 2023 provincial election. Elections Alberta said the final number of requests may change slightly as applications received before the September 25 deadline are fully entered and processed. The agency is currently working through a large volume of applications, with thousands of requests still being processed. The increase does not necessarily mean that more than 650,000 people will ultimately vote by mail. Some applications may not be approved, while some voters who requested a special ballot could instead choose to vote in person if their ballot is not returned by the required deadline.
Elections Alberta has attributed much of the increase to changes in the rules. Eligible Albertans no longer need to provide a specific reason to vote by special ballot. The agency has also noted that voters must vote within their electoral division during advance voting and at their assigned location on referendum day, making voting by mail a convenient option for some electors. The completed special ballots must be received by Elections Alberta no later than 5 p.m. on October 16 to be counted.
Elections Alberta recommends that voters mail their completed ballots well before the deadline. Canada Post has advised voters to send their completed packages by October 9 to allow sufficient time for delivery. Voters can track the status of their special ballot using the tracking information provided with their ballot package. If a ballot has not been marked as received by October 18 at 5 p.m., Elections Alberta says the voter may still vote in person, provided the special ballot has not already been counted or otherwise recorded as a completed vote.
The unusually high demand for special ballots comes as Alberta prepares for a referendum featuring 10 separate questions. The questions cover issues including immigration, eligibility for provincially funded programs, social supports, equalization, provincial pension arrangements, provincial police services, electricity policy, daylight saving time and other matters.
The 10th question asks voters whether Alberta should remain a province of Canada or whether the provincial government should begin the legal process required to hold a future binding referendum on Alberta’s separation from Canada. The referendum is scheduled for October 19, 2026. Advance voting will take place from October 13 to 17, with voting locations open during that period for eligible electors in their electoral division. The high number of special-ballot requests is also putting additional administrative pressure on Elections Alberta. The agency has been recruiting thousands of temporary election workers and preparing voting locations across the province.
Elections Alberta has said it is preparing for a potentially high level of participation. The large number of special-ballot requests is one indication of the level of engagement with the referendum, although it cannot by itself be used to determine overall voter turnout. The final turnout will depend on how many Albertans vote by special ballot, how many vote during advance voting and how many cast ballots on referendum day. For voters who requested a special ballot but later decide to vote in person, Elections Alberta’s records are used to ensure that an individual cannot vote more than once.
The October referendum is therefore shaping up to be a significant logistical undertaking for Alberta’s election authority, with the number of special-ballot requests already far exceeding levels seen during the last provincial election.