Elections Alberta asks Elections Manitoba staffers to help during referendum

Manitoba’s non-partisan elections agency has been asked by Alberta to send staff to assist with the province’s upcoming referendum in October, according to a spokesperson for Manitoba’s Chief Electoral Officer. The Oct. 19 referendum will present Albertans with 10 questions about the province's future, including whether Alberta should separate from Canada.

With an estimated 2.9 million registered voters in Alberta, the count could involve up to 30 million ballots. Elections Alberta spokesperson Maia Hanrahan stated that it is common for electoral management bodies (EMBs) to support each other during elections, and in this case, highly specialized EMB staff will provide expert support to the Elections Alberta team.