2021 Election: Senate Election Proclamation

There have been four previous senate elections in Alberta, in 1989, 1998, 2004 and 2012. In each election, electors voted for the senate candidates that they wished to put forward to the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada for filling future vacancies related to Alberta in the Senate of Canada. These names are put forward by the Government of Alberta for consideration by the federal government. The Alberta Senate Election Act is provincial legislation and the candidates selected are not binding on the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada.

In the previous four senate elections, nine senate nominees have been selected. Of these, five have received appointments to the Senate of Canada.

It is anticipated that a senate election will be held in conjunction with the municipal elections to identify the senate nominees to put forward to the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada for future vacancies related to Alberta.

Electors will vote for 3 Senate candidates. The three candidates who receive the highest number of votes province-wide will become Senate nominees. Their names will be put forward by the Government of Alberta to the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada for filling future vacancies related to Alberta in the Senate of Canada.

To be nominated for election, Senate candidates must collect 500 signatures from eligible electors in Alberta. The signatures collected must be original, so Senate candidates or their representatives will be collecting signatures in person.

It is still anticipated that a Referendum Vote will also be held on October 18, 2021. A Referendum will commence with the issuance of an Order of the Lieutenant Governor in Council. The latest date that the order may be issued for a Referendum Vote to take place with the 2021 Alberta Municipal Elections is September 7, 2021. More information will be available on the Referendum once the Order is issued.

The Order in Council will include the referendum questions that are to be voted on. As per the Referendum Act these may include constitutional or non-constitutional questions.

Eligible electors are at least 18 years of age, Canadian citizens and resident in the local jurisdiction in Alberta in which they wish to vote.

All local jurisdictions holding elections on this day will facilitate the vote by also issuing the Senate election ballot to electors. If all local elected positions are acclaimed, the municipality will still provide voting opportunities for the Senate election. Elections Alberta and Alberta Municipal Affairs are working with First Nation communities, Métis Settlements, Lloydminster, Summer Villages, Improvement Districts, and Special Areas to provide opportunities for electors residing in these communities to vote on October 18, 2021.

While some municipalities have already posted information on where and when to vote in the local elections, more information will be available once these details are finalized with the local jurisdiction.

Electors may only cast their ballot in the senate election and referendum vote once. Electors that reside in more than one municipality must designate one residence as their place of residence for the purposes of voting, considering the following (in order of precedence):

• The address on their AB Driver’s Licence or Identification Card,
• The address where their income tax correspondence is delivered, or
• The address where their mail is addressed and delivered.

For electors with residences in summer villages, only permanent residents of the summer village may designate the summer village as their place of residence for the purposes of voting in the senate election and referendum vote.

Following the vote on October 18, 2021, all local jurisdictions will complete the count of local ballots cast in the Senate election. These results will be sent to Elections Alberta. Elections Alberta will compile the results received from all municipalities and announce the official results on October 26.