Elections Alberta recruiting 60K workers for October referendum
The province is launching the largest electoral recruitment campaign in Alberta history to staff an unprecedented ballot count.
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Elections Alberta is seeking a minimum of 60,000 workers to staff the October 19 referendum — the largest electoral recruitment drive in provincial history. The massive workforce is needed to complete ballot counting within a strict 48-hour deadline after polls close.
The referendum will feature 10 questions on the ballot, including one on whether Alberta should remain a province or pursue separation. Elections Alberta will print 45 million ballots for the vote — roughly 25 times the 1.8 million ballots cast in the 2023 provincial election.
Alberta's chief electoral officer Gordon McClure called the effort "a colossal undertaking." Positions include site supervisors, voting officers, ballot counters, registration officers, and coordinators. All positions are paid, with online and in-person training scheduled for early October. Albertans 16 and older who are eligible to work in Canada can apply; some roles require applicants to be 18 or older. The agency will begin notifying successful applicants in mid-July. Elections Alberta said it's encouraging rural Albertans to apply to ensure referendum administration across the province. For context, the 1995 Quebec referendum required 57,000 workers.