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EDMONTON— Alberta’s government has introduced legislation aimed at tightening election rules, improving ballot clarity and strengthening oversight of the legal profession.
The proposed Justice Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 would raise the number of signatures needed for a provincial election candidate from 25 to 100. The government says the change is intended to discourage long-ballot interference campaigns and align Alberta’s rules with federal requirements.
The bill would also prevent parties from registering names that use words or phrases associated with existing political parties, a move officials say will reduce voter confusion. Amendments to the Citizen Initiative Act include higher penalties for the misuse of personal information and shifting some responsibilities away from the chief electoral officer to speed up petition reviews.
Albertans expect their government to keep democratic processes fair, transparent and timely, Justice Minister Mickey Amery said in a statement. Jean-Pierre Kingsley, former chief electoral officer of Canada, said the proposed requirement that electors sponsor only one candidate per election or byelection would help preserve the integrity of the voting process.
The legislation also includes changes to the Alberta Law Foundation and the Law Society of Alberta to clarify their roles and improve access to affordable legal services. Another amendment would allow justices of the peace to serve additional five-year terms to bolster court capacity.
The act would modify several laws, including the Election Act, Election Finances and Contributions Disclosure Act, Conflicts of Interest Act, Citizen Initiative Act, Referendum Act, Legal Profession Act and Justice of the Peace Act. The province says many of the updates to the Legal Profession Act aim to ensure consistency with the Regulated Professions Neutrality Act.
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