Citizen Initiative FAQs

Application Process

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• How do I apply for an initiative petition?

  Applications by eligible electors for a citizen initiative petition are submitted to the Chief Electoral Officer. Applicants must provide:

  • • A completed Application for Citizen Initiative Petition,
    • Authorized ID proving the elector’s identity and address in Alberta, and
    • The $500 application fee, paid by cash, a certified cheque and/or a bank or postal money order made payable to “Government of Alberta”.
• Can I submit my application form electronically?

  The application form, Appointment of Chief Financial Officer form, and copies of your identification can be submitted electronically to ops@elections.ab.ca. Electronic signatures on all forms must include a date and time stamp. Application fee payment may be completed in person at the Elections Alberta head office in Edmonton or by mail. All components of the application must be received prior to it being considered for approval.

• Can a group or an organization begin an initiative petition?

  No. Only an elector can apply to have a petition issued.

• Is the $500 application fee refundable?

  Yes, the $500 application fee will be returned to the proponent following the filing of the required financial disclosure reports within the required timeline.

• Can there be multiple initiatives at one time?

  Yes. Each citizen initiative petition is treated independently; however, the proposal must not be the same as, or substantially similar to, the topic of a citizen initiative petition currently in process or under review.

• Can a proponent be changed during the citizen initiative period?

  If the proponent dies, resigns, or in the opinion of the Chief Electoral Officer becomes ineligible or incapacitated, the chief financial officer shall provide the required information for a replacement proponent. If the chief financial officer takes over the role of proponent, they must complete the Appointment of Chief Financial Officer form for the replacement chief financial officer.

• Will the proponent have access to the List of Electors?

  No. The Citizen Initiative Act does not allow proponents to have access to the List of Electors.

  Proponents are not required to validate petition signatories against the List of Electors.

Canvassing

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• Who can collect signatures on a citizen initiative petition?

  The proponent may be helped by volunteers to collect signatures. These volunteers are called “canvassers” and must register as canvassers with Elections Alberta. Proponents may not pay anyone to collect signatures on a citizen initiative petition.

  Elections Alberta issues identification documents to registered canvassers, who must carry this ID with them when canvassing. The proponent must approve all canvasser applications. Signatures collected by unregistered canvassers will be disqualified during the petition verification process.

• How do I become a canvasser?

  The proponent must submit an Application to Canvass for an Initiative Petition to register each canvasser for the petition. The proponent will be notified by Elections Alberta once the approved canvassers have been registered.

• Who can register as a canvasser?

  Canvassers must be eligible electors. They must be:

  • • a Canadian citizen,
    • at least 18 years old, and
    • ordinarily resident in Alberta.
• Where can I find the rules around canvassing?

  All canvassers must comply with the Canvasser’s Code of Conduct and any guidelines for canvassing issued by the Chief Electoral Officer.

• If I am the proponent, do I need to register as a canvasser?

  Yes. The proponent must also complete a canvasser application form to collect signatures.

• How can I prove I am a registered canvasser?

  Elections Alberta will issue identification documents to all registered canvassers, and they  must carry it with them and produce it upon request.

• Can I demand access to apartment buildings to collect signatures?

  No. Unlike candidates in elections who have legislated access for campaigning purposes, canvassers are not guaranteed access to rental properties. Access may be granted at the discretion of the landlord.

• Can I demand access to malls and recreation centres, etc., to collect signatures?

  No. There are no provisions under the Citizen Initiative Act to require landlords, businesses, or recreation centres to provide access to canvassers. Therefore, permission must be obtained from the property manager or business owner.

• If I am a business owner, can I canvass at my work place?

  Yes, as long as you are a registered canvasser.

• If I am an employer, can I pay my employees to canvass my customers?

  No. Paying an employee to canvass while performing their regular job would be considered an inducement. Compensation in the form of extra vacation or leave is also considered an inducement. By law, canvassers must be volunteers.

• If I am an employee, can I canvass at my work place while doing my regular job?

  No. By law, canvassers must be volunteers. Canvassing while performing a regular job or duties would be considered as being paid for canvassing or collecting an inducement for canvassing.

• Can I leave petition sheets on a counter or table for customers to sign?

  No. Petition sheets must not be left unattended by a canvasser. The canvasser must personally witness all voters signing their petition sheets.

• Can canvassers canvass for more than one citizen initiative petition?

  Yes. A separate canvasser application must be completed for each initiative petition.

• What happens if a canvasser no longer wishes to collect signatures?

  The canvasser should immediately submit all petition sheets to the proponent along with their canvasser ID badge.

• Does a registered canvasser check every signee’s photo identification?

  There is no provision in the Act for canvassers to check ID of petition signers.

• Can I pay my canvassers or provide them with lunch, coffee, goods or services?

  No. By law, canvassers must be volunteers. Providing them with lunch, coffee, or any other benefit could be considered an inducement and is not permitted.

• Are canvassers representative of Elections Alberta?

  No, canvassers are the responsibility of the proponent. They do not work for Elections Alberta and should not represent themselves as such. Each canvasser must show a canvasser ID card prepared by Elections Alberta to electors if requested to do so.

Signing a Petition

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• Who is eligible to sign a citizen initiative petition?

  To be eligible to sign a petition, an individual must be an eligible elector. They must be:

  • a Canadian citizen,
  • at least 18 years old, and
  • ordinarily resident in Alberta.
• When and where can I sign the petition?

  Citizen initiative petitions can only be signed after the petition has been issued by Elections Alberta. For information about where to sign, contact the proponent of the petition.

• Can I sign on the Internet?

  No. There are no official citizen initiative petitions online. Citizen initiative petitions must be signed by electors, in ink, on official paper petition sheets. Signatures collected in any other way are not accepted.

• If I am a canvasser, can I sign and witness my own signature on a petition sheet?

  No. You may only sign a petition sheet belonging to another canvasser and witnessed by them.

• Can I sign more than once?

  No. You may only sign a petition once. Only an individual’s first signature on a petition will count.

• Can I sign on behalf of my family members?

  No. Each person must sign for themselves. It is an offence under the Citizen Initiative Act to affix a false or forged signature on the petition.

• What information do I have to provide when I sign an initiative petition?

  An eligible elector signing the petition must:

  • print their surname and given names legibly;
  • print the physical address where they ordinarily reside at the time of signing;
  • provide their telephone number and/or email address;
  • confirm they are an eligible elector; and
  • date it on the date they signed the petition.

  Postal addresses, such as PO box numbers, are not acceptable. Signatures not accompanied by a current physical address will not be counted.

• Why am I asked to provide my phone number or email address when I sign the petition?

  Signatories must provide either a telephone number or email address on the petition. You may be contacted by Elections Alberta to confirm you signed the petition as part of the verification process or by the proponent to confirm your information is correct.

• If I sign the petition, will my personal information be made public?

  The Citizen Initiative Act requires petition sheets be made available for public inspection for one year from the time it is filed or submitted. Electors’ residential address and contact information (phone or email) will be obscured from public inspection.

  Individuals who request to view copies of citizen initiative petition sheets are required to sign a declaration stating the information viewed will not be used except as permitted under the Citizen Initiative Act.

• What if I make a mistake when signing the petition?

  To correct mistakes, neatly put a line through the mistake and make the necessary correction. If the name or address becomes unreadable after the correction, put a line through the petition row and start again on a new row.

• I’ve signed the petition but have changed my mind – can I have my name removed?

  The proponent may remove any signature from the petition upon the request of the elector. However, the proponent is not compelled to do so. Elections Alberta has no direct control over the signatures on a petition during the canvassing period, and once the petition has been submitted to the Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Alberta cannot remove a name from the petition.

Verification

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• How must the petition be submitted?

  The proponent can submit the petition to the Chief Electoral Officer by mail, by courier, or in person, but must meet the following rules:

  • Submit all petition sheets at one time. No late submissions or partial submissions will be accepted.
  • Submit only the original signed petition sheets. Photocopies, faxes, or other electronic copies of signed petition sheets will not be counted.
  • Submit all of the original signed petition sheets, regardless of whether sufficient signatures have been collected.
  • All petition sheets must be received at Elections Alberta by 4:30pm on the 120th day of the citizen initiative petition signing period.

  *For applications for citizen initiative petition approved by the Chief Electoral Officer prior to July 4, 2025, all petition sheets must be received at Elections Alberta by 4:30pm on the 90^th day of the citizen initiative petition signing period.

• What happens if a petition is submitted early?

  The verification period begins as soon as a petition is submitted. If a proponent submits a petition before the end of the 120-day canvassing period, they cannot continue to collect and submit signatures.

  *For applications for citizen initiative petition approved by the Chief Electoral Officer prior to July 4, 2025, if a proponent submits a petition before the end of the 90-day canvassing period, they cannot continue to collect and submit signatures. 

• How does the verification process work?

  Elections Alberta will verify the petition within 21 days of the date the petition was submitted.

  *For applications for citizen initiative petition approved by the Chief Electoral Officer prior to July 4, 2025, Elections Alberta will verify the petition within 60 days of the date the petition was submitted. 

  The verification process includes:

  • Confirmation that only the petition signature sheets as provided to the applicant were used in the collection of signatures;
  • Confirmation that only original signatures have been collected;
  • A review of each signature to ensure the required information was provided (full name, physical address, contact information, date, signature);
  • Confirmation that each signature on the petition was witnessed by a registered canvasser and the witness signed the required affidavit;
  • A random sampling to confirm the addresses are residential addresses in Alberta; and
  • Contacting a random sampling of signatories to confirm they signed the petition.

  Incomplete or invalid signatures are screened out and are not included in the final count. If it becomes clear during any part of the verification the count will not meet the required signature threshold, no further verification is done.

• How are duplicate signatures dealt with?

  Electors may only sign a citizen initiative petition once. Only an individual’s first signature on a petition will count. Depending on the circumstances, Elections Alberta may investigate instances of multiple signing.

• Does the proponent or the Member have any role in verification?

  There is no provision in the Citizen Initiative Act for observers or scrutineers.