Alleged Inappropriate Distribution of List of Electors

April 30, 2026

No breach of Elections Alberta databases or systems

EDMONTON, AB – It has come to Elections Alberta’s attention an inappropriate use and/or distribution of the List of Electors by a legitimate list recipient may have occurred. Despite our Offices being legislatively prohibited from commenting about investigations we may or may not be conducting, Albertans should know that Elections Alberta takes this matter seriously. Due to the extremely sensitive nature of the information contained in the List of Electors, we believe it is critical for Albertans to be aware. Elections Alberta is taking every possible action to determine if this has taken place and, if so, to protect and recover the information.

There has been no breach of Elections Alberta’s databases or systems. The unfolding situation is believed to involve a third party and to have occurred as a result of the inappropriate use and/or distribution of the list of electors by a registered political party that was a legitimate recipient of the list.

Elections Alberta is working with other appropriate agencies on this matter and has notified the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta.

The Election Act legislates the contents, distribution, protection of, and use of the provincial List of Electors. This is extremely sensitive data, and there are many safeguards to ensure it is only provided to the entities and individuals entitled under law to receive it and used only as expressly permitted in the Act. Specific security features are added to each list provided to eligible recipients allowing Elections Alberta to identify who received each specific copy of the list.

Section 19.1 of the Election Act sets out the requirements that a person or registered party must follow regarding protection of the list. Recipients of the list must take all reasonable steps to protect the List of Electors and the information contained in it from loss and unauthorized use. They must immediately notify Elections Alberta if the list or information has been lost. A person or MLA may NOT share the list or the information with anyone for any use not expressly authorized in Section 20 of the Election Act.

Background
Under the Election Act, a registered party may receive a copy of the list of electors for the province, and each MLA may receive a copy of the list of electors for their electoral division two years following a provincial general election, after electoral divisions are amended, or if a writ is issued for a by-election in an electoral division or a provincial general election. Each registered political party and candidate may receive a copy after revisions to the list of electors close and after the conclusion of advance voting during a provincial general election.

Following a provincial general election, Elections Alberta shall provide a post-election day list of electors, for each voting area in each ED, and provide that to each registered political party and MLA (for their electoral division). These are set out in sections 18 and 19 of the Election Act.

Access to the list of electors is restricted to the entities named in the Election Act sections 18-20. These entities DO NOT include third parties, and third parties are not eligible to receive copies of the list of electors at any time.

Section 20 of the Act permits use of the list for the following purposes only:

• by a registered political party or registered constituency association, for communicating with electors;
• by an MLA for carrying out the duties and functions of the member; or soliciting contributions for the use of the registered political party, its constituency association, and recruiting party members;
• by a candidate for communicating with electors during a campaign period, and for soliciting contributions during any period authorized under section 43.1 of the Election Finances and Contributions Disclosure Act; and
• by election officers for the purpose of carrying out their duties under the Election Act.

The list of electors contains electors’ first names, middle names, surnames, address, postal code, telephone number, unique identifier number, electoral division, and voting area.

Possible penalties
A person who contravenes these provisions of the Act is guilty of an offence and liable to an administrative penalty of not more than $10,000 or, if convicted by a Court, to imprisonment for a term of not more than one year or to both a fine and imprisonment.

Elections Alberta is an independent, non-partisan office of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta responsible for administering provincial elections, by-elections, and referenda.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Michelle Gurney
Media Relations
Phone: 403.431.0759
Email: [email protected]

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