First Nations ran short of ballots in Alberta vote

Several First Nations in Alberta ran short of ballots during Monday’s provincial referendum, and Elections Alberta says about 20 voters on Samson Cree Nation could not vote because extra ballots did not arrive in time.

Elections Alberta said in an emailed statement to The Canadian Press that it delivered additional ballots to at least five First Nations communities, and in some cases had to deliver them three times during the day. The agency said it had sent 1.5 times the number of ballots it expected communities to need, based on past voter registry data. Official results are posted on the Elections Alberta results site.

“This was unfortunate but could not be anticipated,” Elections Alberta said of the Samson Cree Nation voters. It added that the shortages show “higher voter engagement in these locations” than in the past.

APTN News reported that Louis Bull Tribe and Samson Cree Nation, both in Maskwacis about an hour south of Edmonton, ran out of ballots within four hours of polls opening. Louis Bull Chief Desmond Bull said he received word that the polling station had run out of ballots at about 12:40 p.m. and was getting more, according to APTN.

Siksika Nation, about an hour east of Calgary, said in a media statement that its polling station was understaffed and did not receive enough ballots, which led to long waits. “It is unacceptable that First Nations communities continue to encounter barriers to participating fully in Alberta’s democratic processes,” the statement said.

Siksika Chief Samuel Crowfoot told APTN the turnout was a positive sign. “It’s a positive for the community because we’re showing up in record numbers,” he said. He also said: “We’re still being faced with that suppression whether intentional or unintentional. A lot of people might not be able to vote. People took time off of work.”

Crowfoot said he was not threatening court action but wanted the error acknowledged. “I think that there should be some type of special provision,” he said. “I’m not exactly sure what that looks like, but there needs to be something.”

Treaty 8 Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi told The Canadian Press that chiefs were prepared but Elections Alberta was not. “If you listen to Elections Alberta, they would say that they did a fine job of making sure that people could vote, but they haven’t,” he said. “We have very serious concerns.”

Mercredi said one community sent its own employees to staff its polling station, and that ballots were delivered to Fort Chipewyan by helicopter because Elections Alberta had not realized how remote the community is. “We went to these polling stations not out of fear, but for respect for our treaties,” he said.

Elections Alberta said it is difficult to estimate how many Indigenous voters cast ballots, but the number of communities that requested polling sites rose by three. No First Nations turnout figure has been published.

About three in four Albertans voted yes to staying in Canada, rejecting a second, binding referendum on leaving. Many First Nations leaders had urged members to vote, saying treaty rights were at stake, as the Assembly of First Nations said before the vote. See also First Nations leaders’ reaction to the result and the early results.

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