Edmonton (Rajeev Sharma): Elections Alberta has launched an unprecedented recruitment campaign to hire more than 60,000 election workers for the province’s upcoming October 19, 2026 referendum, marking one of the largest electoral staffing efforts in Canadian history.
The referendum will see Albertans vote on ten separate ballot questions, with officials preparing to print approximately 45 million ballots and complete the unofficial count within a strict 48-hour timeline. The scale of the operation far exceeds previous elections in the province and even surpasses recent federal voting numbers.
Chief Electoral Officer Gordon McClure described the referendum as a “colossal undertaking” that will require widespread public participation, urging Albertans from all regions to get involved, particularly those in rural communities, to ensure smooth election operations across the province.
Elections Alberta, which typically operates with just 48 permanent staff, relies heavily on temporary workers during major electoral events. In the 2023 provincial election, more than 13,000 workers were hired at a cost of about $37 million, but the upcoming referendum will require a workforce several times larger. Eligible Albertans aged 16 and older are being encouraged to apply, although certain roles require applicants to be at least 18 and all workers must pass background checks and maintain strict political neutrality throughout their employment. The paid positions include roles such as voting officers, registration staff, ballot box clerks, and counting officials. Advance voting is scheduled from October 13 to 17, followed by referendum day on October 19, with counting continuing until October 21. Paid training will begin in early October ahead of deployment.
With applications expected to surge across the province, Elections Alberta says only selected candidates will be contacted as it prepares to manage one of the most ambitious democratic exercises in Alberta’s history.
