Fair elections require more than counting votes

Elections Alberta's missteps show why openness matters to our elections

Free and fair elections are a cornerstone of democracies like Alberta. Exercising the right to vote involves more than simply having your ballot counted, however. It also requires that the voting process be clear and open to all who are eligible. 

This ensures all Albertans have a say in how our province is run.

That's why recent messaging from Elections Alberta in pamphlets, social media, and radio ads is so disconcerting. By stating that “ID is mandatory” and implying that voters must register prior to visiting the polls, the agency has raised barriers to voting among Alberta’s marginalized communities.

To be clear, Albertans do not need to provide identification to vote. They can show up at their polling station and sign an attestation form confirming their eligibility to vote, or they can have someone vouch for their identity.  And Albertans do not need to register prior to voting day. They simply need to be added to the electors list when they go to cast their ballot. Elections Alberta has revised parts of their website to clarify these points, and they have committed to pausing their radio ads. 

Some will dismiss ongoing concerns as simply a matter of poor communications, or consider the updates sufficient to solve the problem. Others will point to the exceptionally few people without ID or who are not on the voters register and say it’s no big deal. They'll argue that a few people not showing up to vote won't matter to the outcome of the election. 

But these rules of openness are enshrined in law for a reason. 

Intentional or not, creating the perception that voting is difficult will make certain people less likely to make the effort to cast a ballot. And we're all worse off for it. 

For the record, I do not see evidence that Elections Alberta is engaging in disinformation or voter suppression. But I have serious concerns that their messaging could be weaponized by those seeking to keep marginalized communities from participating in elections. 

This could target individuals experiencing homelessness, elderly individuals, and low-income Albertans who may not have access to the necessary documentation or the resources to obtain it. Such efforts could also exclude young people and newcomers unfamiliar with the voting process and the ease of same-day verification. Individuals who move frequently and those without access to reliable internet or transportation are also at risk.

Armed with misleading information from Elections Alberta, voter suppression efforts could convince people that they are unable to vote due to a lack of ID or their failure to appear on the register of voters at the time of the election. 

These tropes are alive and well in the United States, where laws in many jurisdictions actually do prevent people from marginalized communities from voting. The familiarity of the rhetoric makes it more likely that some Albertans will buy the deception. 

For example, in the United States, studies have shown that Black voters are more likely to lack the specific forms of identification required to vote under certain laws, and are more likely to face challenges in obtaining the necessary documentation due to systemic barriers such as racism, poverty, and limited access to government services. In Alberta, similar barriers exist that could result in Black and Indigenous residents and would-be first-time voters being disproportionately impacted by the false narrative that pre-registration and identification are required to vote. 

For some Black Albertans and Indigenous people, the prospect of being required to present identification in order to vote may create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation, particularly given the historical and ongoing injustices experienced by their communities. This could result in lower voter turnout among Black and Indigenous peoples, further entrenching disparities in political representation and eroding the health of our democracy. 

Ultimately, the strength of our democracy rests on our ability to ensure that every voice is heard. Ensuring every vote is counted is the bare minimum expected of elections authorities.  We also need them to be accurate and proactive when it comes to preserving the openness of our voting process. They need to educate Albertans about their voting rights, not mislead them. For the sake of our democracy, we need Elections Alberta to do better.