Elections Alberta addresses concerns about voter registration misinformation

Elections Alberta is actively working to counter "several streams of misinformation" circulating about the upcoming Oct. 19 referendum, particularly concerning voter registration. The agency aims to reassure Albertans about the security of their personal information and the integrity of the voter registration process.

"Elections Alberta would like to reassure Albertans their information in Voterlink is safe and secure, and that contrary to reports, no voter registrations have been removed from the List of Electors without electors’ consent," stated Chief Electoral Officer Gordon McClure. He emphasized that individuals who have voted in previous provincial elections and have not moved or changed their names are likely still registered.

Recent online posts have suggested that some Albertans believe they have been "de-registered" from the voter roll, with some linking these claims to a data leak earlier this year. However, Elections Alberta asserts that there are no issues with Voterlink, the province's online voter registration tool. The agency clarified that the tool cannot be used by anyone else to remove a voter's registration, nor does it directly access the List of Electors information system.

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Elections Alberta would like to reassure Albertans their information in Voterlink is safe and secure, and that contrary to reports, no voter registrations have been removed from the List of Electors without electors’ consent.

Elections Alberta has outlined common reasons for difficulties encountered when using Voterlink. These include precise last name entry, which must match the Alberta Driver's License or ID card exactly, including capitalization and punctuation. Postal code accuracy is also crucial, especially for rural areas or those without door-to-door delivery, and users may need to try their physical address postal code if their mailing address differs.

The agency also noted that if an elector has moved or changed their mailing address, the records may not yet reflect this updated information, potentially causing registration issues.

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No one can remove or delete a voter registration using the tool, so there is no possibility someone else has removed your voter registration using Voterlink.