EDMONTON — The Alberta government is arguing new temporary restrictions on what voter information can be provided to political parties won’t impact the upcoming referendum. A lawyer for the province told an Edmonton court today that referendum scrutineers don’t need detailed voter information to ensure votes are accurately counted. The lawyer said counting is the role of elections officials while the job of scrutineers is to observe the process. The hearing was for a court challenge launched by the Opposition NDP against new provincial voter list rules. Those rules say Elections Alberta can only provide political parties with the number of voters in each voting area and municipality instead of lists with full names, addresses and phone numbers. The NDP is asking the court to strike the new policy, arguing it threatens the integrity of the Oct. 19 referendum, when voters will cast ballots on Alberta’s future in Canada. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 6, 2026. Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press
