Elections Alberta rebuts claims non-residents can mail in referendum votes

A viral social media post this week claimed that Alberta's mail-in voting system for the Oct. 19 referendum allowed anyone to apply regardless of where they live, with some users posting screenshots showing they had submitted applications using addresses outside the province, including in British Columbia. Elections Alberta says the claims are misleading, noting the application page's address field does not block out-of-province entries but that all special ballot applications are manually checked against the voter registration system before approval.

The Oct. 19 referendum asks Albertans 10 questions covering immigration and Canada's Constitution, with the central question being whether the province should stay in Canada or pursue a binding separation referendum. To be eligible, voters must have an established place of ordinary residence in Alberta, and those who have moved their residence elsewhere are not eligible to vote.

Elections Alberta spokesperson Maia Hanrahan said the registration page was designed to let applicants enter information they believe accurate without the system blocking submissions outright, but that mismatched or unverifiable details result in rejected applications. Proof of ID is also required to actually cast a ballot.

Mount Royal University political science professor Lori Williams noted this is the first time special ballots have been so broadly available in Alberta, a change from past requirements to prove extraordinary circumstances. More than 610,000 requests for mail-in ballots had been received as of this week, with the application deadline set for midnight Friday.