Some referendum ballots missing as Albertans begin to receive mail-in paperwork

As demand for mail-in ballots surges ahead of Alberta's referendum, some residents are encountering issues with their packages from Elections Alberta. Edmonton seniors Lorrie and John Jegen received their voting packages on September 1, but John's envelope contained only one ballot slip, missing the remaining nine questions. The couple applied for advance voting to avoid long lines during the previous municipal election.

Lorrie's husband contacted Elections Alberta after discovering the missing pages and is still awaiting a response. He hopes the issue will be resolved quickly so his vote can be counted.

Elections Alberta advises voters who receive incomplete packages to contact the agency so the problem can be rectified. The special ballots are attached together, with a cardboard backing. Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Dallas Stoesz stated that a few dozen people are currently reporting missing ballot questions or packages. Voters should get in touch with Elections Alberta to receive a complete set of ballots.

The agency is also addressing concerns about outdated wording on some special ballot declaration forms. The language asking voters to declare inability to vote at advance polling stations due to a fine will be removed from future ballot packages. Voters who receive forms with the outdated wording can simply cross it out before submitting their ballot package.

Elections Alberta is experiencing unprecedented interest in mail-in voting for the October 19 referendum, with approximately 290,000 people already applying for special ballots, up from 225,000 earlier in the week. The deadline for requesting a special ballot has been moved up to September 25 to avoid a rush of last-minute applications and ensure timely delivery and returns, especially considering the impact of the Thanksgiving holiday on mail service.