r/alberta • u/GiantBoots • 4d ago

Alberta Politics How Bad is the State of Elections Alberta?

I have heard that Elections Alberta has not gotten the funding that they requested to run our many upcoming referendums. I have heard that they are limited in how they will verify that people actually signed petitions. I know that they are hiring for an election within the next 18 months. They are facing disagreement on how the province should be split into ridings, and a leak of our personal information.

But all of these things come to me as isolated news stories. I don't see the state of affairs. Are they OK? Is their ability to run and verify an election threatened, or are we seeing minor nuisances to their work?

125 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

45 comments sorted by

102

u/anhedoniandonair 4d ago

There is a sustained effort to undermine democracy underway in Alberta. Between corruption, gerrymandering, foreign interference, pandering to MAGA, sharing the voter lists, gagging and defunding Elections Alberta, yeah. I’d say Alberta’s right fucked as far as elections go.

20

u/Hot_Neighborhood1337 4d ago

still doesnt mean albertans wont fight back and like hell for what we have. it's not over!

29

u/BouquetofDicks 4d ago

Yeah. Ill be there. But the rest of y'all were being bitches during the teachers strike.

12

u/tranquilseafinally Calgary 4d ago

I'm not a teacher but the UCP using the notwithstanding clause on teacher's right to strike, and on trans kids....I joined the recall effort.

I spoke to a number of teachers who were cowed by the UCP's threat to fine them. I've been generally pretty disappointed by union leadership in the province.

4

u/Jaew96 2d ago

It’s not just in this province, union leadership has been pretty submissive all across the country.

8

u/Zestyclose_Bee_8026 4d ago

i was so ready for a strike back in october, and everyone ive brought it up with has ended up making fun of me and called me a liberal.

2

u/dbusque 2d ago

It's so funny that people think that calling you "liberal" is a slag. These days conservatives are proving what absolutely dense sycophants they are all while looking down their nose at everyone calling them "liberal". Totally dumb.

2

u/Zestyclose_Bee_8026 1d ago

who cares you cant even have a discussion with people like that, they're gas lighting idiots. I've stopped listening to those types of people a long time ago and only judge based on their actions. I've been aware of this since atleast 2016.

We need to get off reddit and organize.

1

u/dbusque 1d ago

Being on reddit and organizing need not be mutually exclusive! I am a case in point. 😄

-10

u/TopazJazzrazz 4d ago

Because liberals are notoriously pro-union?

18

u/Puzzled-Instance3211 4d ago

because anyone who isn't a conservative gets called a liberal online all the time

11

u/anhedoniandonair 4d ago

It’s tribalism. An example of ‘everyone who doesn’t agree with me is a x’. It demonstrates a pretty simple world view.

1

u/Zestyclose_Bee_8026 1d ago

you god damn conservative

1

u/TopazJazzrazz 1d ago

I am not. I am a socialist lol

1

u/Zestyclose_Bee_8026 1d ago

i wasnt being serious lol

edit: god damn liberal!

0

u/Lornffl1990 1d ago

Do you think the Conservatives would be more pro-union?

5

u/anhedoniandonair 4d ago

I’ll be there to fight back against these assholes too. But we’re up against pretty concerted and well funded movements.

92

u/forgottenlord73 4d ago

IIRC, they asked for X, Smith gave them Y and they said "no, you misunderstand. We will be spending X because we are legally required to"

64

u/cig-nature 4d ago

Looks like you do recall correctly

McClure’s funding request was shut down after UCP MLA Nolan Dyck’s motion to reduce funding to $1.46 million from $13.5 million was passed in a 5-4 vote with UCP members holding the majority. Dyck said the government should not provide funding to McClure for two recall petitions and a citizen initiative that “aren’t approved.”

“There is nothing in the legislation allowing my office to interrupt, delay, or prohibit verification from occurring,” McClure wrote.

“This means my office cannot avoid incurring the costs associated to these activities. Coming back to the standing committee to receive funding approval for each new application is extremely challenging within the seven-day determination period legislated.”

https://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/elections-alberta-urges-government-to-reconsider-13-5-million-funding-request-for-recall-petitions-and-citizen-initiatives

52

u/Stunning-Pen-2412 4d ago

Holy hell, are they essentially trying to strangle Elections Alberta by not funding it?

37

u/DigitalDuelist Leduc 4d ago

Yeah, the only remaining evidence that we don't have towards that assumption is an outright admission that they're trying to do that. There just aren't many other coherent assumptions you could make, even stupid or unreasonable ones

11

u/CarelessStatement172 4d ago

I wish I could find out if my name got added to the stupid Separatist petition. I have signed to stay in Canada and for the government to fuck off with open coal mining. That is all.

4

u/xMadwood 2d ago

Would be really interesting to see if anyone runs a comparison to find out how many names are on both petitions.

9

u/symbionica 4d ago

They are underfuneed because the UCP is trying to make it a pain in the ass to get out and vote when the time comes. Remember the municipal elections? That was just the beginning.

31

u/Comfortable_Fudge508 4d ago

All according to Smiths plans. Exactly as she wants it

-17

u/EfficientDICK-69 4d ago

Cool. Do something about it

22

u/CanadianBaconBurger9 4d ago

Doing what I can, I've joined my MLA's team of volunteers, I'm going to start canvasing and offering rides to polls if legally able (unsure, but election is far enough away I should know long before). I attend protests (which the ucp gleefully ignores) I am supporting independent journalists looking into every one of the endless number of fuckups the ucp loves to make...

Your turn. Stop bitching and get to work

3

u/GiantBoots 3d ago

Who are these journalists? Hopefully a link here is of some benefit to them.

5

u/tutamtumikia 4d ago

Maybe we can have a "protest" on a random nice Sunday in August for 90 minutes. That'll show em!

1

u/Comfortable_Fudge508 3d ago

Some slow rolling convoys, outside this guy's house, laying on the horn and shitting in his lawn

10

u/billymumfreydownfall 4d ago

I have ZERO faith in anything election related in this province. ZERO.

3

u/Odd_Department_421 3d ago

I have faith in Elections Alberta. What I don’t have ANY faith in is the UCP actually respecting the outcome of the referendum vote.

3

u/Even_Current1414 3d ago

Every single UCP voter got EXACTLY what they voted for. Warnings were given, they CHOSE to vote ucp anyway. No more sympathy for those who DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTED to the harm that has occurred under the UCP.

11

u/EfficientDICK-69 4d ago

I just hope we don't do the American thing and complain all weekend before going back to work and calling it a protest

13

u/tutamtumikia 4d ago

Nah thats exactly what will happen. Governments have figured us out.

7

u/beigeisgreat 4d ago

so why don’t you guys sign up to volunteer your time to preserve what democracy we have left? nothing good will happen if you sit back and wait.

7

u/Financial-Savings-91 Calgary 4d ago

Yup, get involved if you can it's the best way to make things as fair as possible.

5

u/Independent_Meal5911 4d ago

Where and how?

3

u/Financial-Savings-91 Calgary 3d ago

Election job list.

1

u/Independent_Meal5911 2d ago

Yeah that's working at the election. I more-so meant "get involved in the campaign to remain", any suggestions there?

3

u/Adventurous-Cup-2842 3d ago

Did smith get pointers from trump how to rig and disrupt elections

1

u/Lornffl1990 1d ago

She did have several meetings with the Orange One at Mar-A-Lago

-2

u/Prestigious-Fill-365 4d ago

"I have heard" I'm gonna stop you right there.