Alberta referendum count runs late as some questions flip

Elections Alberta has not finished counting ballots in the province’s 10-question referendum, missing its 48-hour target, and several of the constitutional questions flipped to “no” on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, as the hand count continued.

“Our teams continue to work around the clock and we are not estimating a time for completion for Oct. 22, 2026,” the agency said in a statement shortly after 1:30 a.m. MT Thursday, CBC News reported. “We knew hand counting the referendum was going to be a monumental task.”

“Despite the efforts of more than 47,000 election workers, it just hasn’t been possible,” officials said. “We’ll continue to count ballots until the job is done.” As of Thursday morning, 97 per cent of polling stations were reporting.

Alberta’s referendum regulations call for the count to be finished 48 hours after polls close in a vote with seven or more questions. Elections Alberta said the legislation is silent on a deadline once a vote has more than seven questions. The agency says it will publish final results on Oct. 29, and that results reported so far are subject to verification, The Canadian Press reported.

Voters went to the polls on Monday. On the key question, roughly 75 per cent of votes backed Alberta remaining a province of Canada. The other nine questions dealt with immigration and with constitutional changes.

Early results showed Albertans in favour of proposals such as provinces choosing their own judges, abolishing the Senate and amending the Constitution to strengthen provincial rights. The “no” side pulled ahead on more of those questions Thursday as counting continued, while “yes” kept a narrow lead on the immigration questions, The Canadian Press reported.

Premier Danielle Smith had already claimed victory on immigration, saying it appeared voters were giving her clear direction to move ahead, though she acknowledged the margins were small and that urban ridings in Calgary and Edmonton largely voted “no.” “I think that’s something we have to be mindful of,” Smith said Wednesday, adding the government would proceed with caution.

Smith said she spoke with Prime Minister Mark Carney, who she said was accepting of the idea that Albertans want more collaboration between the two governments on immigration. She said she is preparing a proposal to submit to Ottawa.

Smith also conceded the constitutional questions seem less important to Albertans. “Albertans would just rather that we spend our time focusing on things where we can make some meaningful change,” she said.

Some First Nations communities also ran short of ballots during the vote, and First Nations leaders have called the result on separation decisive.

If you find reporting like this useful, consider supporting Canada News Media, an independent Canadian newsroom with no corporate parent.

With files from The Canadian Press and CBC News.