Elections Alberta released the official results of the October 19 referendum on Thursday, confirming that 74.95 per cent of voters rejected a second, binding referendum on separation. The Alberta referendum official results also show turnout of 70.4 per cent on the separation question, the highest for a provincewide vote since at least 1975.

What did voters decide across the ten questions?

Albertans faced ten questions covering separation, immigration and constitutional reform. The separation question drew the most attention, but the results were mixed elsewhere:

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  • Separation: About three-quarters voted to remain in Canada.
  • Immigration: Five questions on immigration-related changes passed, with support between 51.7 and 58 per cent.
  • Constitutional reform: Four questions on wresting more power from the federal government were rejected.

Question 5, on requiring proof of citizenship to vote, edged out the separation question for the highest participation, by nearly 600 ballots.

Why was turnout so high?

Roughly 22.1 million ballots were cast across the ten questions, including declined and rejected ballots, according to Elections Alberta. Advance voting accounted for 37.9 per cent of votes, special mail-in ballots about 29 per cent, and election day voting about 32 per cent. Turnout was nearly ten points above the 60.5 per cent seen in the 2023 provincial election, though it fell short of the 81.8 per cent record set in 1935.

Mount Royal University political scientist Lori Williams told CBC she was surprised the other nine questions drew nearly as much participation as the separation question, given their complexity.

What happens next?

The narrow margins on the immigration questions have led some observers to question how strong a mandate the results give Premier Danielle Smith. Williams told CBC the outcome did not hand the government "the authority to sort of take the fight to Ottawa." The province has said legislation on immigration changes could come as early as next spring.

FAQ

How many Albertans were eligible to vote?

Elections Alberta lists 3,148,205 eligible electors, including new registrations on voting days.

When were the official results released?

They were published on October 29, ten days after the October 19 vote, with figures varying less than a percentage point from the initial count.