Elections AB
EDMONTON — Elections Alberta says it has seen a rise in harassment complaints and misinformation surrounding recall and citizen initiative petitions, prompting the agency to issue a public clarification about canvasser conduct and the rules governing the campaigns.
In a statement Wednesday, the non-partisan office of the Legislative Assembly said it has received harassment reports from nearly every petition campaign since the first citizen initiative petition was approved June 30, 2025.
The agency said reports of abusive or threatening behaviour toward canvassers have increased in recent weeks alongside what it described as inflammatory online commentary.
Elections Alberta said any canvasser who feels unsafe should contact local law enforcement, noting the legislation governing recall and citizen initiative petitions does not include provisions or penalties related to harassment.
“To be very clear, Elections Alberta does not condone these behaviours in any way,” the agency said in the statement, adding it urges Albertans to engage respectfully when discussing electoral processes.
The office also reminded campaigns and the public that registered canvassers represent only the petition proponent or recall applicant for whom they are collecting signatures and do not represent Elections Alberta.
Any verified instances of canvassers misrepresenting themselves as officials with Elections Alberta should be reported to the agency, it said.
The statement also addressed rules about where canvassing can take place. Elections Alberta said neither the Citizen Initiative Act nor the Recall Act requires businesses, landlords, or public facilities to allow petition canvassing on their property.
Permission must be obtained from the property owner, manager, or local authority before campaigns collect signatures at a location.
Elections Alberta said it has also been actively monitoring misinformation about the petition process and has been responding to inaccurate claims through its website and social media channels.
The agency said all petitions approved since mid-2025 have been conducted according to the legislation in effect at the time, despite several amendments to the laws since July 2025.
It added no fraud has been reported or detected during any petition verification process.
The agency said its verification procedures include reviewing every signature on submitted sheets and contacting a statistically valid random sample of signatories to confirm their information.
Elections Alberta also emphasized it does not participate in canvassing or campaign events and does not endorse any petition or campaign activity.
The office said petition proponents are responsible for registering canvassers, providing official signature sheets and answering questions from the public during the canvassing period.
More information about recall and citizen initiative petition rules is available on Elections Alberta’s website.
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