EDMONTON — Elections Alberta says no voter registrations have been removed without electors’ consent, as the agency responds to what it describes as a growing volume of misinformation ahead of Alberta’s Oct. 19 referendum.
The independent agency says social media claims involving voter registration and its online Voterlink system are the latest in several streams of misinformation appearing as the referendum approaches.
Chief Electoral Officer Gordon McClure says Elections Alberta is monitoring the claims and wants to reassure voters their information remains secure.
“Contrary to reports, no voter registrations have been removed from the List of Electors without electors’ consent,” McClure said in a statement.
Elections Alberta says people who voted in previous provincial elections and have not moved or changed their names are likely already registered.
The agency is also cautioning people not to assume they have been removed from the voters list if Voterlink is unable to confirm their registration.
Voterlink is Elections Alberta’s online registration tool. It allows Albertans to register for the first time, check their registration or update their information after moving or changing their name.
Elections Alberta says nobody can use Voterlink to remove or delete a voter registration. The online tool also does not directly access the information system containing the List of Electors.
To check a registration, Voterlink asks for three pieces of information: a person’s last name, date of birth and postal code.
Elections Alberta says those three pieces of information may not always uniquely identify someone. Two people could, for example, have the same last name and birth date while living in the same postal area.
In those circumstances, Voterlink may report it cannot determine the person’s registration status and requires more information.
The agency says such a response does not mean the voter has been removed or is not registered. The limitations are intentionally built into the system to protect voters’ privacy and security.
Elections Alberta has also identified several common reasons voters may have trouble finding their registration.
Last names must be entered as they appear on an Alberta driver’s licence or identification card and as recorded in the Elections Alberta system. The agency recommends entering surnames in capital letters and checking hyphens, apostrophes, periods and other punctuation.
People with two last names may not receive a result if they enter only one.
Postal codes can also create problems, particularly for rural Albertans and people without door-to-door mail delivery.
Elections Alberta says its records may contain the postal code associated with a mailing address or post office box rather than a physical address. People who have moved in recent years may also find their previous postal code matches the information still on file.
The agency recommends manually entering information rather than relying on a phone or computer’s autofill function, which can insert spaces or alter how information appears.
People who have previously used Voterlink several times may also need to clear their browser cookies before trying again.
Elections Alberta says recently submitted registrations may take several days to appear because information from Voterlink must first update its internal systems.
People who previously asked to be removed from the List of Electors will not have a registration record but can register again.
If Voterlink still cannot determine a person’s status, Elections Alberta says it may simply mean the information entered does not match its records or is insufficient to uniquely identify the voter.
Albertans who remain unable to resolve an issue can contact Elections Alberta at 780-427-7191, although the agency says the social media rumours have generated a high volume of calls and is asking people to try Voterlink first.
Elections Alberta is also warning voters to expect misinformation and disinformation to increase as Oct. 19 approaches.
The agency says misleading information can target election technology, voting procedures and the integrity of election workers. In some cases, it can also discourage or intimidate people from voting.
Elections Alberta is urging people to be cautious with emotionally charged or sensational claims on social media and to check information against its website and other credible sources before sharing it.
Voters do not have to register in advance to cast a ballot. Elections Alberta says eligible electors can register when they go to vote, although they will need to sign a declaration before receiving their ballots.
Registering beforehand can reduce the time needed to vote and ensures electors receive a personalized Where to Vote card.
Elections Alberta is the independent, non-partisan office of the Legislative Assembly responsible for administering provincial elections, byelections and referendums.
Comments