Elections Alberta has announced that it requires various support positions to be filled as it reaches out to seasoned electoral staff nationwide to assist with the upcoming referendum in October.
“It is standard for electoral management bodies (EMBs) to provide mutual assistance during election events,” stated Elections Alberta representative Maia Hanrahan in a message to CBC News on Tuesday.
“We are inviting senior, experienced EMB personnel with specialized skills to bolster the core team at Elections Alberta during this crucial electoral event. Similar outreach and initiatives occur across the country for significant electoral occasions.”
Hanrahan emphasized that assistance will be particularly important shortly after the voting concludes.
“For instance, to finalize the 48-hour continuous count after a 12-hour voting period, we will require additional highly specialized personnel from EMBs to support our permanent Elections Alberta team, who will be working in shifts,” she explained.
The referendum scheduled for 2026 will take place on October 19, during which Albertans will respond to ten questions, including whether the province should continue as part of Canada or initiate the process for a second binding referendum on leaving the country.
The remaining questions will address various issues related to immigration and constitutional matters.
CBC News has received confirmations from both Elections BC and Elections Saskatchewan, indicating they have been approached for assistance by Elections Alberta.
A representative from Elections BC informed CBC News that they are currently evaluating Elections Alberta’s request based on their operational requirements this fall.
The next municipal elections in British Columbia are set for October 17.
Elections Canada also confirmed on Wednesday that they have been contacted by Elections Alberta regarding potential support for the referendum.
“We are reviewing that request and have not made any commitments at this time,” stated Elections Canada.
“We are exploring options that could aid Elections Alberta in its recruitment efforts, including engaging interested employees who might see this as a professional development opportunity, as well as retired staff. In all instances, these individuals would operate under the supervision of Elections Alberta, with Elections Canada having no role in the referendum’s execution.”
Elections Saskatchewan expressed its willingness to provide staff support as Alberta gears up for its fall referendum.
“While we are glad to assist fellow electoral administrators nationwide, this presents a valuable opportunity for our team’s professional growth,” noted Michael Boda, chief electoral officer at Elections Saskatchewan.
“Provincial general elections typically occur once every four years. Involvement in electoral activities in other areas offers our staff hands-on experience, enhances their skills, and imparts lessons that will aid Elections Saskatchewan in preparing for future elections.”
Elections Alberta reported that its recruitment campaign is progressing positively, having received over 30,000 applications from Albertans throughout the province as of Tuesday afternoon.
“Since launching the campaign just over a month ago, this is a promising indication towards our objective of recruiting 60,000 electoral workers,” Hanrahan commented.
Lorne Gibson, a former chief electoral officer in Alberta, noted limitations regarding how much help can be provided by EMB workers from outside the province.
“There simply aren’t enough personnel available,” he remarked. “Some of the core staff in other jurisdictions are quite limited: 10, 12, 14, or 25 people, for example.”
“And they certainly couldn’t send their entire teams. Additionally, employing individuals from other regions can be very expensive. There are travel, accommodation, meal costs, and the salaries of those employees, which usually exceed what would be paid to local staff.”
Gibson also highlighted the challenge of finding eligible workers for the referendum. In Alberta, election officers must reside in the province, be legally permitted to work in Canada, be at least 16 years old (18 for certain positions), pass a criminal record check, and sign an oath to uphold a non-partisan mandate during the referendum.
Gibson added that the recent byelection, called by Premier Danielle Smith for the Calgary-Shaw riding, could complicate matters further.
“Byelections require significantly less effort than general elections, as they only involve one jurisdiction. They are not overly complex. However, any distraction like that could be unwelcome, especially while preparing for a significant event like a referendum with 10 questions.”