Alberta Referendum Sees Record 174,532 Advance Votes on First Day

A record 174,532 voters cast their ballots on the first day of advance voting in Alberta’s referendum, signalling strong voter interest in the province-wide vote.

According to Elections Alberta, Tuesday’s turnout was significantly higher than the average of 151,000 daily voters recorded during previous general elections. Long queues forced around 20 polling stations across the province to remain open several hours beyond their scheduled closing times, with some staying open until 11 p.m.

The 10-question referendum, initiated by Premier Danielle Smith’s government, covers major issues including Alberta’s potential separation from Canada, immigration and constitutional proposals.

Officials said approximately 658,000 special mail-in ballots had been requested, of which 418,000 had already been returned by mail.

Advance voting will continue until Saturday, while the main referendum day is scheduled for October 19.