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Elections Alberta has launched what it describes as the largest electoral worker recruitment campaign in Alberta's history as preparations continue for the province's referendum scheduled for October 19, 2026.
The independent Office of the Legislature is seeking to hire more than 60,000 election workers to help administer the referendum, making it one of the largest referendum staffing efforts ever undertaken in Canada.
According to Elections Alberta, the scale of the upcoming referendum will be unprecedented. With ten ballot questions planned, the organization expects to print approximately 45 million ballots. Officials say a workforce of at least 60,000 election workers will be needed to meet the legislated requirement of completing the unofficial ballot count within 48 hours.
Chief Electoral Officer Gordon McClure described the referendum as a major undertaking requiring participation from Albertans across the province.
McClure also encouraged residents of rural communities to apply, noting that election workers will be needed in every corner of Alberta.
Applications are open to Alberta residents aged 16 and older who are legally eligible to work in Canada. Some positions require applicants to be at least 18 years old. Successful candidates must pass a criminal history check and agree to remain non-partisan during their employment with Elections Alberta.
A variety of paid positions are available, including Site Supervisors, Information Officers, Voting Officers, Ballot Box Clerks, Registration Officers, Record Clerks, Count Supervisors, Count Coordinators, and Count Officers.
Election workers will be needed during advance voting from October 13 to 17, on Referendum Day on October 19, and for ballot counting from October 19 to 21. Paid training is expected to begin in early October, with some positions starting as early as October 13.
For comparison, Elections Alberta hired just over 13,000 workers during the 2023 provincial election. The upcoming referendum will require more than four times that number.
Interested Albertans are encouraged to apply as early as possible. Applications will be reviewed by the Returning Officer in the applicant's electoral division, and successful candidates are expected to begin receiving notifications starting in mid-July.
More information about available positions, eligibility requirements, and the application process can be found on the Elections Alberta recruitment website at recruitment.elections.ab.ca/8400/8.
Information for this article was sourced from Elections Alberta, to learn more about Elections Alberta, visit their website at www.elections.ab.ca.
