Elections Alberta is assuring voters that registrations have not been removed without their consent after social media posts raised concerns about the province’s online registration system.
The agency issued the clarification Aug. 14 as Alberta prepares for a provincewide referendum Oct. 19. Chief Electoral Officer Gordon McClure said it has received a high volume of calls about the claim.
Elections Alberta said no registrations have been removed from the provincial List of Electors without the affected voters’ consent. It also said Voterlink, the agency’s online registration tool, cannot be used to remove or delete a voter registration.
For Chestermere voters trying to confirm their information, the important point is that an unsuccessful search is not proof that a registration has disappeared.
Voterlink asks an elector to enter a last name, date of birth and postal code. Elections Alberta said those three details may not be enough to identify one person with certainty. Two people, for example, could share a last name and date of birth while living in the same postal-code area.
When the system cannot make a unique match, it may report that it is unable to determine the person’s status and needs more information. The agency says that result is an intentional privacy and security safeguard and does not necessarily mean the elector is unregistered.
Small differences between the information entered and the agency’s records can also prevent confirmation. Elections Alberta recommends entering a last name exactly as it appears on an Alberta driver’s licence or identification card, including hyphens, apostrophes or other punctuation. Rural residents or people using a post-office box may need to try the postal code connected to their mailing or physical address.
People who recently registered should allow at least a few days for their information to move from Voterlink into the agency’s internal system.
Electors who previously asked to be removed from the list will not find a registration record, but they may register again.
The current registration rumour should not be confused with Elections Alberta’s earlier investigation into unauthorized use of a copy of the List of Electors by a third party. In April, the agency said that matter did not involve a breach of Elections Alberta’s databases or systems. The Aug. 14 statement concerns claims that registrations themselves were being removed.
Albertans will vote on 10 questions in the Oct. 19 referendum. Elections Alberta says advance voting will run from Oct. 13 to 17. The agency is responsible for administering the provincial vote and is separate from Elections Canada, which manages federal elections, and municipalities, which conduct local elections.
Residents may use Voterlink to register for the first time, check an existing registration or update information after moving or changing a name. Registering in advance can shorten the process at the voting place and ensures an elector receives a personalized Where to Vote card.
Advance registration is helpful, but it is not the only way to participate. Elections Alberta says eligible electors may register when they go to vote, provided they meet identification requirements and sign a declaration before receiving their ballots.
Voters who have tried the agency’s troubleshooting steps and still cannot confirm their information can contact Elections Alberta at 780-427-7191. Because of increased call volumes, the agency asks people to try Voterlink before phoning.
As referendum day approaches, Elections Alberta is urging people to pause before sharing emotionally charged or sensational claims and to compare them with information from the agency’s official website. For voters, a screen that cannot confirm a record is a reason to check further—not evidence that a registration has been erased.