Alberta referendum: what to know before Monday’s vote

EDMONTON: Albertans vote Monday, Oct. 19, on a 10-question provincial referendum that includes whether the province should remain in Canada, and the last chances to vote early or by mail are closing this weekend, according to Elections Alberta.

Polls on referendum day are open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at each voter’s assigned location in their electoral division, Elections Alberta says. Advance voting runs Oct. 13 to 17 at any advance location in a voter’s electoral division, so Saturday is the final day to vote early.

Mail-in ballots must reach Elections Alberta before 5 p.m. today, Oct. 16, the agency says. Returning offices do not accept completed packages. Mail-in voters were also told to include copies of accepted identification, not originals, and to sign the declaration.

The 10 questions

Elections Alberta says each question appears on a separate numbered, colour-coded ballot, except mail-in ballots, which are all white. All 10 questions are non-binding, according to the agency.

Question 10 is a choice between two options: that Alberta should remain a province of Canada, or that the government should begin the constitutional legal process to hold a binding referendum on separation.

Questions 1 to 5 are yes or no questions on immigration and voting. They cover greater provincial control over immigration, limiting provincially funded programs to citizens, permanent residents and those with Alberta-approved status, a 12-month residency requirement for non-permanent residents before they can receive social supports, fees or premiums for non-permanent residents’ use of health care and education, and proof of citizenship to vote in provincial elections.

Questions 6 to 9 are yes or no questions on constitutional change with other willing provinces. They cover provincial selection of King’s Bench and Appeal justices, abolishing the Senate, opting out of federal programs without losing federal funding, and giving provincial laws priority over conflicting federal laws in provincial and shared areas.

Elections Alberta says it does not interpret the questions and directs voters with questions about their meaning to the Government of Alberta or their MLA.

Turnout and staffing

The Canadian Press reported that Elections Alberta opened 310 polling stations on Tuesday for the first of five days of advance voting. It reported that about 658,000 Albertans requested mail-in ballots, a record level of interest in special ballots, and that about 391,000 had been returned as of Monday evening.

The Canadian Press also reported that a downtown Edmonton station had a lineup stretching almost half a block, with waits of 30 minutes to an hour. It said about 46,000 workers had been hired to run the vote and hand count ballots, short of a 60,000 target. The figures were attributed to Elections Alberta spokesperson Michelle Gurney.

When to expect results

Ballots are counted by hand, with Question 10 counted first at each station, according to Elections Alberta. Results are posted on its results website as returning officers report them. Because there are 10 questions, the regulation requires the unofficial count to be finished within 48 hours after polls close, so a complete picture may not be available on election night.

Voters can find their assigned location using the Where Do I Vote tool on the Elections Alberta website. Advance voting hours and identification requirements for in-person voting were not detailed in the sources reviewed for this report, and voters should check the agency’s website for those details.

Sources: Elections Alberta, referendum page; Elections Alberta, special ballot news release; The Canadian Press via CP24, Oct. 13, 2026.

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By Local & Breaking Desk, Canada News Media