Recall TPAs

A Recall Third Party Advertiser engages in advertising to promote or oppose the recall of an MLA whose electoral division is the subject of the recall petition.

Any eligible person, corporation, trade union or group that engages in recall advertising is required to register with Elections Alberta when it has incurred or plans to incur recall advertising expenses of $1,000 or more, or has accepted or plans to accept recall advertising contributions of $1,000 or more.

Registered Recall TPAs

There are currently no registered Recall TPAs.

Deregistered Recall TPAs

There are currently no deregistered Recall TPAs.

Contributions

Through their chief financial officer, a registered Recall TPA can accept recall advertising contributions during a recall petition period from the following persons and entities:

• individuals ordinarily resident within the electoral division,
• corporations carrying on business within the electoral division and are not prohibited corporations,
• Alberta trade unions, and
• Alberta employee organizations.

Contributions are defined as any money or in-kind donations of real property, goods, or services.

There is no contribution limit for contributions made to Recall TPAs.

The Recall TPA chief financial officer is responsible for reporting contributions to Elections Alberta and issuing official contribution receipts to contributors.

Get more information on contributions.

Fundraising Functions

A registered Recall TPA can hold events and activities to raise funds for recall advertising.

Examples of fundraising events and activities include luncheons, meet & greet events, rallies, golf tournaments, and auctions. Contribution rules limit who can pay to attend and who can donate/bid for auctions.

Get more information on fundraising functions.

Expenses

Through their chief financial officer, a registered Recall TPA can spend a maximum of $3,500 on advertising during a recall petition period and another $3,500 during a recall vote period, if applicable.

Recall advertising expenses are any expense incurred for the production of a recall advertising message in the format in which the message is to be transmitted and the acquisition of the means of transmission to the public of a recall advertising message.

Get more information on expenses.

Filing Deadlines

For a recall petition, Recall TPAs must disclose the details of their financial activities to Elections Alberta through the submission of weekly contribution reports during the recall canvassing period (recall advertising period) and filing an advertising report. The reports are required regardless of the level of financial activity, including nil activity if applicable, and are due as follows:

• weekly contribution reports due each Thursday during the recall advertising period, and
• recall advertising report due 4 months after the recall advertising period, consisting of a financial statement, contribution report, expense report, and supporting documentation.

In addition, independently audited financial statements must be filed within 6 months after the period if advertising expenses exceed $3,000.

For a recall vote, Recall TPAs must disclose the details of their financial activities to Elections Alberta through the submission of weekly contribution reports during the recall vote period (recall advertising period)and filing an advertising report. The reports are required regardless of the level of financial activity, including nil activity if applicable, and are due as follows:

• weekly contribution reports due each Thursday during the recall advertising period, and
• recall advertising report due 4 months after the recall advertising period, consisting of a financial statement, contribution report, expense report, and supporting documentation.

In addition, independently audited financial statements must be filed within 6 months after the period if advertising expenses exceed $3,000.

An automatic late filing fee of $500 applies for missing a filing deadline.

Get more information on filing deadlines.

Financial Reporting and Online Financial System (OFS)

Elections Alberta is developing our Financial Reporting website for disclosing registrations and financial reports regarding Recall TPAs.

In addition, the capacity for registered Recall TPA chief financial officers to access Elections Alberta’s secure Online Financial System (OFS) for financial reporting, is under development. Elections Alberta anticipates the website and system updates to be implemented in 2025 or 2026. Until then, manual financial forms are made available to Recall TPA chief financial officers.

Contact finance@elections.ab.ca with any questions.