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Elections Alberta is prepping for byelection already affected by postal strike

  • Lisa Johnson

    Lisa Johnson

  • Canadian Press

  • November 27, 2024

Voters line-up to cast their ballots in a byelection in Medicine Hat, Alta., Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. Voters in Lethbridge are facing the first byelection to be held in the province so close to Christmas since Dec. 14, 2017, as Elections Alberta also tries to work around the impact of the Canada Post strike. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

EDMONTON -- Alberta election officials say they are working to get the word out as they deal with a Canada Post strike ahead of a Christmas-week byelection in Lethbridge-West.

Because of the postal workers' strike, Elections Alberta cannot send "Where to Vote" cards to voters, and it says special mail-in ballots must be shipped through a courier service or dropped off in person ahead for the Dec. 18 vote.

The office has a plan in motion to get the word out using print, radio, media and online ads, and by distributing flyers across the riding with general information.

Winter weather also threatens to be a factor.

The last time an Alberta byelection was held so close to Christmas was on Dec. 14, 2017.

The vote will fill a vacancy created in the summer when NDP Lethbridge-West legislature member Shannon Phillips resigned.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2024.