Alberta Extends Voting Hours at Delayed Polls, Pushing Back Referendum Results

Conceptual illustration of a ballot box and an evening clock in a civic room

Updated: October 19, 2026, 7:49 p.m. EDT (Toronto)

EDMONTON — Elections Alberta has extended voting hours at locations that opened late for Monday’s provincial referendum, delaying the release of unofficial results until every polling place is confirmed closed.

In an October 19 notice, the agency said Chief Electoral Officer Gordon McClure authorized the extensions to give voters the full advertised period of service. It said the late openings resulted from various issues that have been resolved. Unaffected locations retain their regular 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time hours.

Closing times differ by location. The official list includes Westminster School in Edmonton until 10 p.m. MDT, two hours beyond the normal close. Voters should check their assigned polling location against the agency’s list rather than assume every station has extended hours.

CTV News reported that more than 100 polls opened late and that the extensions push the earliest release of results to after 10 p.m. MDT — midnight EDT. Results remain dependent on all locations being confirmed closed.

The referendum contains ten questions. Question 10 asks whether Alberta should remain in Canada or begin the legal process for a future binding separation referendum; Monday’s result on that question is non-binding. Ballots are counted by hand, with Question 10 counted first at each counting station.

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