Writ Issued for Calgary-Shaw By-election

August 17, 2026

EDMONTON, AB – Alberta’s Chief Electoral Officer, Gordon McClure, confirmed the writ was issued today to administer the by-election in Electoral District 23 – Calgary-Shaw to elect a member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.

The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has the authority, under sections 9(1) and 47(1) of the Election Act to appoint Returning Officers and Election Clerks. These officers play a vital role in the fair and impartial management of Provincial General Elections and by-elections.

“Appointments have been made for the Returning Officer and Election Clerk in Calgary-Shaw, and they are ready to conduct voting in their electoral division,” said CEO McClure.

Election Day is September 14, 2026.

Key Dates

• Candidate nominations are now open and close on August 27 at 2:00 pm.
• Tuesday September 8 ­– Advance voting begins.
• Saturday September 12 – Last day of advance voting.
• Monday, September 14 – Election Day. All voting places will be open from 9:00am to 8:00pm.
• Unofficial results will be available after voting closes on Election Day.
• Official results will be announced on Thursday, September 24 at 10:00 am.

Voter Eligibility

Canadian citizens who are at least 18 years of age or older on Election Day are eligible to vote if they are an ordinary resident of one of these electoral divisions. If you are unsure if you reside in the Calgary-Shaw electoral division, use the “Where Do I Vote” tool on the Elections Alberta website to determine your eligibility. The tool will be available once all voting locations have been confirmed.

Voter Registration

Electors may register to vote online at voterlink.ab.ca until September 2, or by contacting Elections Alberta or the local returning office before 4:00pm on September 5.  Electors can also register to vote at any advance voting location in their electoral division or at their assigned voting place on Election Day. Electors who are already registered to vote at their current address do not need to register again.

Voter Identification

To vote in the by-election, electors must prove their identity and current physical address. There are many ways to do this, including:

• Providing one piece of Government-issued photo ID, including the voter’s full name, current physical address, and a photo.
• Providing two pieces of ID, both containing the voter’s full name and one showing their current physical address.
• Having an authorized signatory complete an attestation form.

More than 50 different types of identification have been authorized by the Chief Electoral Officer to be used as identification to vote. Voters may visit elections.ab.ca/voters/id-required-to-vote for a full list.

Special Ballots

Electors have 28 days to vote by Special Ballot beginning today. Special Ballots may be picked up at the returning office, picked up by an elector’s designate, or sent to the elector anywhere in the world. Applications can be submitted online at elections.ab.ca. See Elections Alberta’s website for more information on eligibility and deadlines for Special Ballots.

Where to Vote

During advance voting, voters can choose to vote at any advance voting location in their electoral division. On Election Day, voters must vote at their assigned voting place. Voting locations will be published on elections.ab.ca once all voting locations are confirmed by the Returning Officers.

Where to Vote cards will be mailed to electors in each of the electoral divisions. Additional information will follow on Elections Alberta’s website and social media, as well as other media channels. Voters may contact Elections Alberta at 1-877-422-VOTE (8683) or the local returning office for assistance.

Electoral Division Information

The Returning Office is now open.

Returning Officer: Susan Ross Strocel
Phone Number: (587) 578-1665
Email: [email protected]

Address:
1000, 15 Sunpark Plaza SE, Suite 250
Calgary

The returning office is open:
Weekdays from 9:00am to 6:00pm,
Saturdays from 10:00am to 4:00pm, and
On voting days from 9:00am to 8:00pm.

For any questions regarding the provincial by-election, visit elections.ab.ca, call 1‑877‑422-VOTE, or visit @ElectionsAB on social media.

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

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

Posted in: Press Releases