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Elections Alberta Addresses Voter Registration Misinformation

August 14, 2026

EDMONTON, AB – Over the past few days, there has been a significant volume of social media misinformation relating to voter registrations and Elections Alberta’s online Voterlink tool.

“Elections Alberta is monitoring several streams of misinformation that have been increasing as we get closer to the referendum on October 19. Misinformation about voter registrations is the latest social media rumour being promoted in an effort to cause concerns related to the referendum,” said Chief Electoral Officer Gordon McClure. “Elections Alberta would like to reassure Albertans their information in Voterlink is safe and secure, and that contrary to reports, no voter registrations have been removed from the List of Electors without electors’ consent. If you have voted in previous provincial elections, and have not moved or changed your name, you are likely registered to vote.”

More information to assist voters with their registration is below.

Albertans should expect misinformation and disinformation campaigns to increase leading up to the referendum. Elections Alberta has run several awareness campaigns to assist voters in identifying misinformation and disinformation. These attempts often undermine facts about the use of technology, the voting process, and the integrity and ethics of election staff. In some cases, misinformation can also discourage or intimidate people from participating in elections.

This is a reminder that emotionally charged and sensational messages on social media should be viewed with caution and voters should check Elections Alberta’s website and other credible sources for facts before believing or reposting these messages. More information on identifying and limiting the spread of misinformation is available on our website at https://www.elections.ab.ca/election-integrity/misinformation-and-disinformation/.

Important facts about Voterlink

Voterlink is Elections Alberta’s online voter registration tool. Electors can use it to register to vote for the first time in Alberta, view their voter registration, and update their voter information if they have moved or changed their name. Voterlink is also accessible from Elections Alberta’s website homepage by clicking on “Register to Vote”.

No one can remove or delete a voter registration using the tool, so there is no possibility someone else has removed your voter registration using Voterlink. It is also not directly accessing the List of Electors information system.

To verify you are registered to vote, Voterlink asks for three pieces of information: last name, date of birth, and postal code. These three pieces of information do not always uniquely identify an individual. For example, it is possible for two people with the same last name and date of birth to live in the same area. When that happens, the system may return a message indicating that it is unable to determine the person’s registration status and that additional information is required. This is a legitimate outcome and does not necessarily mean that the person is not registered in the system. These limitations are intentional and in place to protect electors’ privacy and security.

Common issues and errors using Voterlink with recommended solutions

Some electors have had difficulty registering or checking their registration. We have identified the most common issues that are preventing people from accessing their voter registration and how to resolve them.

Last name: Your last name must be entered exactly as it appears on your Alberta Driver’s License or Alberta ID card and what is recorded in our system.

  • Use all capital letters for your last name.
  • If you have two last names and only enter one, the system may not be able to return a result.
  • Ensure any punctuation is accurate. If there is punctuation in your name like a dash, hyphen, apostrophe, or period (such as Jones-Smith, St. James, etc.), that could cause issues if the punctuation does not match your voter registration record. Try adding or removing the punctuation to what you entered.

Postal code: Your postal code must be correctly formatted.

  • Use capital letters for letters, not lowercase letters.
  • This issue can be particularly relevant for electors in rural areas or areas without door-to-door postal delivery. An elector may have a separate mailing address or PO Box. If that is the address Elections Alberta has on file, the elector would need to enter that postal code for the search to work. Try your physical address postal code.
  • If an elector has moved or changed their mailing address in recent years, our records may not reflect the updated information. In those cases, entering a previous postal code may return the record.

Other issues and resolutions:

  • Using autofill for your name/addresses from your phone or computer could be adding spaces or not inserting your name exactly as it appears on your ID. Please type your information in exactly as on your ID.
  • If you have previously used Voterlink and have filled out the form more than once, that can cause an issue. Clear cookies from your browser and try again.
  • Ensure you have not made a typo in the date, particularly the year.
  • Occasionally, there may be another elector whose name is similar to yours in your same postal code or with your same birthday. In these cases, we will need additional information to confirm your identity and record.
  • Individuals who have asked to be removed previously from the List of Electors will not have a registration record in Voterlink but can re-register.
  • Individuals who have recently registered will not be able to immediately access their registration information. The data from Voterlink will update our internal systems, and that takes some time. Please allow a few days at least before you check your registration information again.

If individuals using Voterlink are unable to find or determine their elector information, it does not necessarily mean that they are not registered. It may simply mean that the three pieces of information entered do not match the information currently have on file, or that those details entered are not sufficient to uniquely identify the individual.

If you have tried all of the above solutions and are still having issues, you may contact Elections Alberta at 780-427-7191 for assistance. Please note due to the volume of calls this rumour has generated, you are asked to check Voterlink first before contacting us.

Registering in advance will reduce the time required to vote and ensure you receive a personalized Where to Vote card. Electors may also register when they go to vote but will need to sign a declaration before they receive their ballots. Visit Elections Alberta’s website for more information about accepted forms of ID and voter registration.

For general public enquiries, please contact:
Elections Alberta
Phone:  780.427.7191
Email: [email protected]

For media inquiries, please contact:
Maia-Lys Hanrahan
Media Relations
Phone: 403.431.0759 
Email: [email protected]

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