Alberta’s former top election official says he has effectively lost his right to vote in the province’s upcoming separation Alberta referendum, and he’s pointing the finger at his successor.
Glen Resler says he applied to vote by special ballot but was unable to get it back in the mail last week, when Canada Post could still guarantee delivery before the deadline of 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 16.
The province’s former chief electoral officer says he tried to deliver his ballot in-person to Elections Alberta’s office in Edmonton, but he was turned away and told provincial law dictates special ballots can only be returned by mail.
Resler says he was encouraged to vote at advance polls this week instead, something he says wasn’t an option as he was leaving town.
While provincial law says Elections Alberta can only accept special ballots by mail, Resler says there’s a clause that allows the chief electoral officer to permit in-person deliveries but he’s refusing to use that power.
He says the decision means Elections Alberta is disenfranchising voters like himself.
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Elections Alberta says it can only accept special ballots in-person or by courier when it’s not reasonably possible for voters to access mail services, which it understands as being limited to those who live in remote areas.
It says the rule was brought in last year by the province and that the agency agrees with its former leader that it represents a barrier for voters.
The agency says it hopes the government considers changes in the future.
What a snowflake. This is a referendum, not Burger King. “I can’t vote in advanced polls, I’m leaving town to sleep with my mistress those days.” “I was too busy to go mail. Not my fault I let the ballots sit on my desk or a week prior to sending back.” Good grief.
Every referendum or election has rules, a timeline and a deadline. If you fail to meet that or are unavailable, that is your responsibility. Imagine if governments had to accommodate every possibility. It would be utter chaos. If it is that important, make the effort. It is nothing compared to the ultimate sacrifice people made to defend our right to vote.
I applied for a mail in box as I am senior sick often. I received reply okaying me. Then later I received notice denying me saying they found something WRONG WITH MY LAST NAME! GIVEN NO WAY TO
REPLY OR ASK WHAT WAS WRONG? BORN IN VANCOUVER & NEVER LIVED OUTSIDE OF 🇨🇦 I COULD NOT GET ANY ANSWERS!!
Yet another way the separatist UCP tries to skew the vote. I’m sure they’ll find more ways of vote suppression before the next provincial election. Their American MAGA masters will teach them. Wait until we see the new gerrymandered voting map for Alberta.