EDMONTON — Elections Alberta says it has now seen more than 500,000 requests for mail-in ballots for the Oct. 19 referendum. The agency is expecting a record voter turnout, and the number of mail-in ballot requests has continued to climb since the application period opened, totaling just over 509,000 to date. Elections Alberta also says it’s working with provincially run jails and federal institutions to ensure inmates are able to vote. Albertans who are incarcerated also vote through mail-in ballots, and while Elections Alberta couldn’t say how many have requested ballots for the referendum, it says just over 400 inmates applied to vote in the province’s 2023 general election. The Correctional Service of Canada says staff have been ensuring inmates are aware of their right to vote and that posters about the upcoming referendum have been put up throughout institutions in Alberta. The referendum features 10 questions, including one on whether Albertans want to remain in Canada or hold a second, binding referendum on quitting Confederation. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2026. Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press
