In Alberta, CBC Projects 76% of Votes for Keeping Canada — The Guardian

In Alberta, Canada, CBC projects that about 76% of voting participants supported keeping the province within the country. With more than 1 million votes counted, about 23% of voters supported launching a legal process that could have led to separation. At that point, approximately one-third of the ballots had been counted.

As The Guardian reports, voters were offered a choice between keeping Alberta within Canada and beginning a legal procedure that could potentially have led to a second vote. The issue was one of 10 put before the province's residents. The others concerned immigration, healthcare, education and Alberta's constitutional powers.

Delays in results

The release of the results was delayed by more than two hours due to delays at about 100 of the province's 1,400 polling stations. Elections Alberta said counting the remaining ballots could take several days.

The question was not directly worded as a vote on independence, which caused dissatisfaction among supporters of separation. At the same time, it revealed political divisions in Alberta and raised questions about the durability of Canada's national unity.

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Politicians' positions

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who grew up in Edmonton, urged the province's residents not to use the vote solely as a way to send a signal to the federal government. According to him, a vote against Canada could lead to prolonged uncertainty and lost opportunities for Albertans and the country.

Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre also spoke out against separation, stressing that Canada is not just a government. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she would vote to keep the province within Canada, but would not require the same position from elected members of her party.

According to Elections Alberta, about 1.3 million people voted early or by mail before voting day — approximately 43% of eligible voters.