Elections Alberta has announced the need for additional support roles as it calls on experienced electoral staff from various regions to assist with the upcoming October referendum. Maia Hanrahan, a spokesperson for Elections Alberta, emphasized the common practice of electoral management bodies supporting each other during crucial election events. She highlighted the importance of senior staff with specialized expertise to aid the core Elections Alberta team, particularly after the voting period ends.
The referendum, scheduled for October 19, will pose 10 questions to Albertans, including inquiries about the province’s status within Canada and other issues related to immigration and constitutional matters. Elections BC and Elections Saskatchewan have received requests for assistance from Elections Alberta. Both electoral bodies are evaluating the requests based on their operational requirements for the upcoming fall season.
While Elections Saskatchewan has offered staff support to Alberta for the referendum, Elections BC is assessing the request in light of its own preparations for the municipal elections on October 17. Michael Boda, the chief electoral officer at Elections Saskatchewan, emphasized the benefits of participating in electoral events in other jurisdictions as a valuable professional development opportunity for their staff.
Elections Alberta’s recruitment campaign has been successful, with over 30,000 applications received from Albertans thus far. The goal is to recruit 60,000 electoral workers for the referendum. However, Lorne Gibson, a former chief electoral officer in Alberta, cautioned about limitations in seeking assistance from external electoral management bodies due to logistical challenges and jurisdictional requirements. Additionally, the recent announcement of a byelection in Calgary-Shaw adds complexity to the election preparations, potentially causing distractions from the referendum planning process.
