{
  "id": 10491807,
  "title": "More ballot requests received in Alberta referendum than last provincial election",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/more-ballot-requests-received-in-alberta-referendum-than-last",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-28T17:09:23.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Winnipeg Free Press",
    "slug": "winnipeg-free-press",
    "url": "https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/uncategorized/2026/09/28/more-ballot-requests-received-in-alberta-referendum-than-last-provincial-election"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Elections Alberta has recorded an unprecedented surge in requests for mail-in ballots ahead of the upcoming referendum on Alberta's separation. The agency has received approximately 658,000 requests, marking a staggering 11 times increase compared to the 60,000 requests it received during the 2023 provincial election. As of the deadline on Friday, about 100,000 electors had cast their mail-in ballots. All special ballots are due by October 16 at 5 p.m., in advance of the Oct. 19 vote on 10 questions proposed by Premier Danielle Smith's administration.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "658,000 mail-in ballot requests received in Alberta referendum.",
    "11 times increase from 60,000 requests in 2023 provincial election.",
    "100,000 electors cast mail-in ballots by October 16 deadline."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Global News",
        "title": "11 times more ballots requested for Alberta referendum than last provincial election",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/11-times-more-ballots-requested-for-alberta-referendum-than-last",
        "published": "2026-09-28T18:12:41.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}