{
  "id": 12489069,
  "title": "Thousands of mail-in ballots invalid due to errors in Alberta referendum: officials",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/thousands-of-mail-in-ballots-invalid-due-to-errors-in-alberta",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-06T22:56:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Winnipeg Free Press",
    "slug": "winnipeg-free-press",
    "url": "https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/uncategorized/2026/10/06/thousands-of-mail-in-ballots-invalid-due-to-errors-in-alberta-referendum-officials"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "As the deadline for Alberta's referendum approaches, the province's election administrator has revealed that over 3,000 mail-in ballots have been found to contain errors and are therefore invalid. The first annual payment for the subscription service is $205.00 plus GST for one year, with automatic renewal at $233.00 plus GST every 52 weeks. The offer is available to new and qualified returning subscribers only, with the option to cancel at any time.\n\nElections Alberta has identified issues such as missing declaration forms, errors, or problems with identification on the returned ballots. Despite this, they emphasize that there is still time for voters to submit the correct information via email. The province is set to vote on a series of questions on October 19, including whether to remain a part of Canada or initiate the process for a binding referendum on leaving Confederation.\n\nElections Alberta has verified approximately a third of the more than 652,000 ballot packages sent out to eligible voters. The hiring of additional staff has been ongoing, with more than two-thirds of the 60,000 workers required already in place.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "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."
}