Elections Alberta is gearing up for the upcoming provincial referendum, with officials providing details regarding the operational procedures, particularly regarding the vote counting process. During a technical briefing, Elections Alberta’s deputy chief electoral officer, Dallas Stos, explained that ballots will be counted by hand. This process is anticipated to extend into the early morning following the vote, as each question will be counted individually.
In addition to the counting process, there has been a significant concern regarding staffing levels for the referendum. As of now, Elections Alberta has received over 37,000 applications for election workers. However, this number falls short of the estimated 60,000 workers required to ensure smooth operations during the referendum. The organization has acknowledged this shortfall and is actively seeking additional workers to meet this demand.
There has also been some confusion surrounding mail-in ballots, as voters expressed alarm over the self-declaration requirement. Elections Alberta has made efforts to address these concerns, issuing an apology regarding the confusion that arose from special ballot packages sent out to voters. A budgetary outline for the event is expected to be made public later in the fall, adding another layer of organization as the referendum approaches.
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