Edmonton – POLITICS – The province of Alberta holds Senate Elections to let the people decide who should represent them in the Senate, Canada’s upper house of parliament.
Alberta remains the only province to do this.
Albertans will elect three Senate nominees – one for each of the two vacancies and one in case of early retirement.
“We are keeping our platform commitment to renew Alberta’s 30-year-old tradition of electing nominees to the Senate of Canada. Albertans have every right to choose who should represent them in the national Parliament. It’s about democracy, plain and simple.”
While the previous government let Senate nominee elections expire, the current government brought back the Alberta Senate Election Act to allow for Senate nominee elections in the province. We are proud to give Albertans the chance to have their say for the good of the province we all call home.
“The Senate nominee election is a chance for Albertans to choose the individuals who will stand up for them in their federal Parliament. Elected senators would give Albertans a real way to make their voices heard in the Senate.”
In order to be included on the ballot, Senate nominee candidates are required to collect 500 signatures for their nomination papers and provide a $4,000 deposit to Elections Alberta by Sept. 20. Additionally, candidates must be Canadian citizens, at least 30 years old, own $4,000 in real property in Alberta and be a resident of the province.
Quick facts
- The nominees’ terms begin when the person is elected and end when the writ for the next Senate nominee election is issued.
- To date, five of Alberta’s elected Senate nominees have been appointed to the Senate: Stan Waters (1990), Bert Brown (2007), Betty Unger (2012), Doug Black and Scott Tannas (2013).
- Municipal elections across Alberta will take place on Oct. 18.
The Order in Council and Writ of Election for the 2021 Alberta Senate Election was issued today, to hold an election to select 3 Senate nominees who may be summoned to the Senate of Canada, for the purpose of filling a vacancy or vacancies relating to Alberta. The Senate Election will take place on October 18, 2021, in conjunction with the 2021 Alberta Municipal Elections.
Conducting the Vote
All local jurisdictions holding elections on October 18, 2021, will facilitate the vote by also issuing the senate election ballot to electors. In addition to election day voting, local jurisdictions may also offer advance voting, institutional voting, and special ballot voting. At each voting opportunity, the senate election ballot will be provided to electors to vote in this election.
As not all communities hold elections on October 18, 2021, Elections Alberta and Alberta Municipal Affairs are working with First Nation communities, Métis Settlements, Lloydminster, Summer Villages, Improvement Districts, and Special Areas to provide voting opportunities for electors residing in these communities.
Eligibility to Vote
Canadian citizens who reside in Alberta and are at least 18 years of age or older on Election Day are eligible to vote in the senate election. As the vote is being conducted by local jurisdictions, electors must vote in the municipality or local jurisdiction in which they reside.
Senate Candidate Nominations
Senate candidate nominations open today and end at 2:00 pm on September 20, 2021. Senate candidates must be eligible for nomination under the Alberta Senate Election Act and section 23 of the Constitution Act (1867). Prospective senate candidate’s complete candidate nomination papers, which requires they be nominated by 500 eligible electors in Alberta and provide a $4000 deposit.
Announcement of Official Results
Following the close of voting on October 18, all local jurisdictions will complete the unofficial count of ballots. These counts are submitted to Elections Alberta for tabulation. The official announcement of the provincial results will take place on October 26, 2021.
Referendum Vote
It is still anticipated that a Referendum Vote will also be held on October 18, 2021. The Order in Council for this vote has not been issued at this time. The latest date that this order can be issued for the referendum to be held in conjunction with the local elections is September 7, 2021.
More Information
For more information about the Senate Election, visit www.elections.ab.ca, call toll free at 1.877.422.VOTE (8683), join us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
Elections Alberta is an independent, non-partisan office of the Legislative Assembly responsible for administering provincial elections, by-elections and referenda.
