Advance Voting Begins in Alberta Byelection with 214 Candidates

Advance voting began in Alberta's Battle River-Crowfoot riding for a federal by-election where Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre seeks to return to Parliament after losing his previous seat in April. The by-election features a record-breaking 214 candidates, many affiliated with the Longest Ballot Committee, a group advocating for electoral reform by flooding ballots to highlight the need for changes in election laws. Due to the unprecedented number of candidates, Elections Canada is using write-in ballots where voters must write the name of their preferred candidate, though minor spelling errors will not invalidate votes. Poilievre expressed frustration with the protest candidates, calling their tactics a disruption and urging the government to raise signature requirements for candidacy to reduce ballot clutter. Election forecasters consider Poilievre a near-certain winner, with historical voting patterns in the riding showing consistent Conservative dominance. Poilievre and fellow Conservative MP Michael Cooper have called on the government to legislate changes addressing the issues posed by such large candidate slates, including restrictions on official agents and signature signings to protect the democratic process.