Mark your calendars — on April 16 Albertans will have an opportunity to participate in shaping the province’s political landscape for the next four years.
NDP Leader and Alberta Premier Rachel Notley dropped the writ last week, officially launching the election campaign we have all been anticipating.
For the first time ever in the province's election history, Albertans will have an opportunity to cast electronic ballots during the April 9-13 advance vote from any of the polling stations located throughout the province.
“You can vote anywhere in the province. It is all on electronic poll books,” said Jane Henderson, returning officer for the Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre riding, adding that a simple scan of a driver’s licence or voting card will enable people to vote even if they’re away from their home polling station.
“It’s spectacular; a great new thing for Alberta.”
This new approach, already previously used in B.C. and Ontario, will hopefully enable a higher than average voter participation. No one will be able to get away with saying something along the lines of “I was too busy or away at the time” as an excuse not to vote.
But going out and casting a ballot is only the tip of the iceberg.
Voters should be sure to take the time to get as informed as possible on the issues. Naturally, the NDP will claim they're the best choice, just as the UCP will declare only they can save the province, as will every other party in the running.
We urge voters on all sides of the political spectrum to take with a grain of salt any claims made by their party of choice, and to seek out information outside of social media echo chambers that merely reinforce or confirm one’s own bias.
Meanwhile, anyone who remains undecided still has time to carefully consider the options before getting ready to cast a ballot.
And if April 16 does not fit in your timetable, fear not.
Advance polls are scheduled from April 9-13, and with a new electronic ballot system that will enable us to vote from anywhere in the province, there truly are no excuses not to get involved.
— Simon Ducatel is the Round Up’s editor
