As of early Tuesday, Oct. 20, 1,314,216 voters, or 75.8 per cent, chose to remain in Canada on Question 10 of Monday’s provincial referendum. Another 419,597 voters, or 24.2 per cent, chose to have the Government of Alberta begin the legal process toward a binding referendum on separation. A total of 1,733,813 votes had been counted on the question.
Elections Alberta reported 4,097 of 5,586 voting areas, or 73 per cent, had reported results. A voting area is counted as reported once at least one question has been submitted, so vote totals differ from question to question.
Results are unofficial and will change as remaining voting areas report. While the result on Question 10 is not close, several other questions, including questions 6 through 9, are separated by only a few percentage points.
Voters also answered nine other questions on the ballot, and the “yes” side was ahead on eight of them.
Four questions dealt with immigration.
On Question 1, 58.5 per cent of voters supported the province taking increased control over immigration to decrease it to more sustainable levels, prioritize economic migration and give Albertans first priority on new employment opportunities.
On Question 2, 57.1 per cent supported a law limiting provincially-funded programs such as health care, education and social services to Canadian citizens, permanent residents and people with an Alberta-approved immigration status.
On Question 3, voters were asked to assume that all Canadian citizens and permanent residents continue to qualify for social support programs as they do now. With that in mind, 58.4 per cent supported requiring people with non-permanent legal immigration status to live in Alberta for at least 12 months before qualifying for provincially-funded social support programs.
On Question 4, voters were asked to assume that all Canadian citizens and permanent residents continue to qualify for public health care and education as they do now. With that in mind, 57.1 per cent supported charging a reasonable fee or premium to people with non-permanent immigration status living in Alberta for their and their family’s use of health care and education.
Question 5 had the widest margin of the nine. Sixty-three per cent of voters supported a law requiring proof of citizenship, such as a passport, birth certificate or citizenship card, to vote in an Alberta provincial election.
The four constitutional questions were much closer. Each asked whether voters support the province working with other willing provinces to amend the Canadian Constitution.
On Question 6, 51 per cent supported having provincial governments, rather than the federal government, select justices for provincial King’s Bench and Appeal courts.
On Question 7, 52.5 per cent supported abolishing the unelected federal Senate.
Question 8 was the only question where “no” was ahead. Of those voting, 51.6 per cent opposed allowing provinces to opt out of federal programs that intrude on provincial jurisdiction, such as health care, education and social services, without losing the associated federal funding.
On Question 9, 51.7 per cent supported better protecting provincial rights from federal interference by giving provincial laws priority over federal laws when the two conflict in provincial or shared areas of jurisdiction.
Results remain unofficial until Elections Alberta releases official results on Thursday, Oct. 29.
Information from Elections Alberta