Elections Alberta preparing for byelection already affected by postal strike

Election officials in Alberta are working to ensure voters are informed for the upcoming Christmas-week byelection in Lethbridge-West, despite a strike by Canada Post.

Due to the postal workers' strike, Elections Alberta is unable to send out "Where to Vote" cards to residents. As a result, special mail-in ballots will need to be sent via courier service or dropped off in person before the vote on December 18.

To inform residents, Elections Alberta has launched a plan that includes print, radio, media, and online advertisements, along with the distribution of flyers containing key information about the election.

Elections Alberta spokesperson Robyn Bell emphasized that if voters have concerns about weather or travel issues, there are multiple ways to cast their ballots. Detailed information is available on the Elections Alberta website or by phone.

Bell also noted that byelections typically see lower voter turnout than general elections, with an average of around 31% voter participation over the past five years. She acknowledged that the postal strike has added an unexpected challenge, one that has not been encountered in recent years.

The last Alberta byelection held close to Christmas was on December 14, 2017.

While Bell stated that Elections Alberta strives to be prepared for elections at all times, the timing of the Lethbridge vote has been a point of political contention. The byelection was called to fill a vacancy created when NDP member Shannon Phillips resigned on July 1.

NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi had urged Premier Danielle Smith to call the election once both his party and the United Conservative Party had their candidates in place by September. Nenshi criticized Smith for waiting until the last moment to call the race, suggesting that lower voter turnout would benefit the UCP.

“The premier had all summer and fall to call this election, and she decided to wait till the last second because she doesn’t want people to vote,” Nenshi said during a legislative session on Wednesday.

Smith defended her decision, stating that she was waiting for Nenshi—who does not hold a seat in the legislature—to declare his candidacy so both byelections could be scheduled together. On Monday, Smith mentioned the temporary appointment of one of her MLAs to represent both Lethbridge ridings during this period.

“We have a fantastic MLA who’s been doing double duty, representing both ridings of Lethbridge-East and Lethbridge-West, and we’re grateful for his efforts in doing so,” Smith said, referring to Affordability Minister Nathan Neudorf.

In response to concerns about low turnout, NDP executive director Garett Spelliscy wrote to Alberta’s chief electoral officer, urging for strong voter outreach efforts. He also pointed out that the Elections Alberta website mistakenly listed the wrong election date as of Sunday.

Bell acknowledged the error, explaining it was a human mistake and confirming that all materials have since been corrected. “It’s really unfortunate that it happened in the first place—the NDP were the ones to notify us of the mistake, and we took immediate actions to correct it,” she said.

The candidates for the byelection are Rob Miyashiro for the NDP and John Middleton-Hope for the UCP. Advance voting will begin on December 10.