Albertans head to the polls on May 29, 2023, and Elections Alberta is encouraging Albertans to start thinking about where they will be in May and the best voting option for them—especially if they plan on travelling and need to vote by mail or are away from home for work or school.

Along with voting in person on Election Day, there are five days of advance voting, mobile voting stations, Special Ballot voting and a mail-in ballot option for electors unable to vote in person.

Starting today, electors unable to vote on Election Day or during advance voting (May 23 to May 27, 2023), may submit their request to vote by mail.

“Getting your request in early helps to ensure that a package can be mailed as soon as the Writ of Election is issued on May 1, 2023,” said Pamela Renwick, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer.

All packages will be mailed once the Writ of Election is issued on May 1, 2023. Applications to pick up a Special Ballot package at a returning office or Elections Alberta will be accepted as of May 1, 2023. You can apply to vote via special ballot here. 

Electors may apply to vote by Special Ballot if they are unable to vote during advance voting days or on Election Day. Electors choosing this voting option must declare their reason for voting by Special Ballot. Applicable reasons include:

  • Physically disabled,
  • Away from their electoral division,
  • An inmate,
  • An election officer, candidate, official agent or scrutineer, or
  • Living in a remote area, as defined in the Election Act

Special ballots may be completed in the returning office, at Elections Alberta, picked up by a designate of the elector, or mailed to the elector.

For Albertans who may be away from their home, but are still in Alberta, Elections Alberta will once again offer the Vote Anywhere Service.

This allows electors to choose any advanced voting location to vote and receive the ballot for their electoral division. More than 300 advance voting locations have been secured for the week leading up to the election (May 23 to May 27, 2023).

To support those living in treatment centres, emergency shelters, community support centres, and supportive living or long-term care facilities, Elections Alberta offers mobile voting locations. Facilities must have at least 10 electors that are residents or receiving services at the facility to be eligible for a mobile voting station. Over 600 facilities have been identified to receive mobile voting services so far.

“We are ready for everyone,” Renwick said. “And we are working hard to make sure as many sites as possible are convenient and accessible for electors. We have expanded the number of locations for advance voting to provide even more access to our Vote Anywhere Service while maintaining our Election Day voting options in close proximity to electors.”

On Election Day, electors need to vote at their assigned voting location. Over 1,200 locations have been secured for May 29.

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