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Public demand surges for advance ballots in Alberta separation referendum

  • Jack Farrell

    Jack Farrell

  • Canadian Press

  • September 3, 2026

Pedestrians walk past an advance polling station sign and Calgary Flames logo outside Calgary City Hall in Calgary, Alta., Friday, April 12, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

EDMONTON -- Election officials say they're seeing a surge of interest in people wanting to vote early by mail in the Alberta separation referendum.

Elections Alberta says interest is so high that it's moving up by two weeks the deadline to apply for those ballots, with the new deadline set for Sept. 25.

The agency says 290,000 people have so far applied to vote by mail, up from 225,000 reported earlier this week.

The referendum is set for Oct. 19.

Ten questions on the ballot largely cover immigration and Constitutional reform, but the public focus is on the final one on separation.

That question asks Albertans whether they want to stay in Canada or to have a second, binding referendum on quitting Confederation.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 3, 2026.