Elections Alberta is reaching out to senior electoral staff nationwide to assist with the upcoming October referendum, emphasizing the need for various support roles. Maia Hanrahan, Elections Alberta spokesperson, explained that this collaborative effort among electoral management bodies (EMBs) is common during significant election events. Hanrahan highlighted the importance of experienced EMB staff with specialized expertise to bolster resources during the critical referendum.
The referendum, scheduled for October 19, will pose 10 questions to Albertans, including inquiries about the province’s status within Canada and other topics such as immigration and constitutional matters. Elections Alberta anticipates the need for additional expert support post-voting to facilitate tasks like the 48-hour continuous count.
Notably, Elections BC and Elections Saskatchewan have received requests to aid Elections Alberta. These electoral bodies are evaluating the requests in line with their operational requirements for the upcoming fall elections. Elections Saskatchewan’s Chief Electoral Officer, Michael Boda, emphasized the professional development opportunities for their team in supporting Alberta and participating in electoral events outside their jurisdiction.
Elections Alberta’s recruitment efforts have been fruitful, with over 30,000 applications received from Albertans in response to the call for 60,000 electoral workers. However, former Alberta Chief Electoral Officer Lorne Gibson pointed out limitations in utilizing external EMB workers due to staffing constraints and associated costs. Additionally, Gibson highlighted the jurisdictional requirement for election workers to be residents and voters within Alberta.
The potential complication of Premier Danielle Smith’s announced byelection in Calgary-Shaw adds another layer of complexity to the referendum preparation, with Gibson noting the need to avoid distractions for the successful execution of the forthcoming electoral event.
