Nenshi says not sending voter cards due to postal strike could affect byelection

Naheed Nenshi delivers his acceptance speech after being named as the new leader of the Alberta NDP in Calgary on June 22, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Alberta Opposition Leader Naheed Nenshi says a decision not to mail out voter registration cards due to the Canada Post strike could hurt turnout in a provincial byelection that's been called for a week before Christmas.

Nenshi, who leads the province's NDP, says in a letter to Chief Electoral Officer Gordon McClure that the cards are "one of the few remaining supports provided by Elections Alberta to promote access to democracy."

Premier Danielle Smith announced last week that a byelection for Lethbridge-West will be held Dec. 18, to fill the vacancy that opened up when former NDP MLA Shannon Phillips resigned July 1.

Nenshi had repeatedly urged Smith to call the byelection given both the NDP and the governing United Conservative Party candidates have been in place since September.

Alberta Elections notes on its website that due to the Canada Post strike, "Where to Vote" cards will not be mailed to electors, and warns that in the event of a continuing strike, electors choosing to vote by special ballot may have to use other ways to send them in, such as a courier.

Nenshi says the Alberta NDP wants Elections Alberta to conduct "robust voter outreach," which he says could include billboards and road signs across the riding, radio ads and a phone and text campaign.

"Byelections tend to have lower voter turnout. The premier’s cynical decision for a winter election so close to Christmas and Hanukkah risks an even lower than typical turnout," Nenshi said in the letter, which was posted to social media late Monday.

"It is incumbent on Elections Alberta to ensure that turnout is not low because voters did not know when and where to vote."

Nenshi said a plan by Elections Alberta to issue social media posts, and ads through the Lethbridge Herald "is constructive, but woefully inadequate." He noted seniors are are less likely to access information through social media.

The outcome of the byelection won’t affect the government as the United Conservative Party currently has 49 seats in the 87-seat legislature compared with 37 for the NDP.

The NDP candidate is Rob Miyashiro, while the United Conservative banner will be carried by John Middleton-Hope.

Miyashiro served on Lethbridge city council from 2013 to 2021 and ran against—and lost to—Nathan Neudorf in last year's provincial election in the Lethbridge-East constituency.

Middleton-Hope is a sitting Lethbridge city councillor and former police chief. 

In response to Nenshi's earlier calls for Smith to announce the byelection, Smith questioned why Nenshi hasn't picked a riding to run in since taking over as party leader in June.

Nenshi has said he'd prefer to run somewhere in his home city of Calgary rather than a riding like Lethbridge-West just to get a seat in the legislative assembly.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Nov. 25, 2024.