Calgary 
Elections Alberta is preparing for a referendum unlike anything the province has managed before.
Credit: Bernadette Gallagher
The agency has launched what it calls the largest electoral event worker recruitment campaign in Alberta’s history ahead of the October 19, 2026 referendum. It is also described as one of the largest referendum recruitment efforts ever undertaken in Canada.
The scale comes down to the ballot itself. With 10 ballot questions, Elections Alberta expects to print 45 million ballots. That is far above the 1.8 million ballots cast in Alberta’s 2023 provincial general election and more than double the 19.8 million ballots cast in Canada’s 2025 federal general election.
To meet the 48-hour deadline for completing the unofficial ballot count, the agency says it will need at least 60,000 workers.
Gordon McClure, Alberta’s Chief Electoral Officer, called the referendum “a colossal undertaking” and said it will require Albertans across the province to help deliver it. He also encouraged rural residents to apply, noting that workers will be needed in every region.
The hiring push is a major jump for Elections Alberta, which has 48 permanent staff for day-to-day operations. During the 2023 provincial election, the agency hired 13,095 election workers, with the election costing about $37 million.
Available roles include Site Supervisors, Information Officers, Voting Officers, Ballot Box Clerks, Registration Officers, Record Clerks, Count Supervisors, Count Coordinators and Count Officers.
Albertans who are 16 or older and eligible to work in Canada can apply, though some roles require applicants to be at least 18. Workers must pass a criminal history check and cannot take part in political activity while employed.
Positions cover advance voting from October 13 to 17, election day on October 19, and ballot counting from October 19 to 21.
For more: Descriptions of the positions and Recruitment webpage.
