Alberta's chief electoral officer has released new guidance aimed at clarifying what constitutes referendum advertising ahead of this fall's provincewide referendum, including the proposed question on Alberta separation.Chief Electoral Officer Gordon McClure announced Wednesday that Elections Alberta has published Interpretation Bulletin No. 9, which outlines when individuals and organizations must register as Referendum Third Party Advertisers under the Election Finances and Contributions Disclosure Act (EFCDA).The bulletin was issued following what McClure described as widespread confusion over the province's referendum advertising rules."In response to much confusion and misinformation about what qualifies as referendum advertising under the EFCDA, as well as many questions and complaints to my Office, this Interpretation Bulletin helps political participants and electors understand and comply with the legislation," McClure said.He added the guidance is intended to ensure Alberta's electoral laws are administered fairly and that all participants are held to the same standard.Under the legislation, referendum advertising is defined as a message transmitted to the public during the referendum advertising period that promotes or opposes a specific referendum question.According to Elections Alberta, advertisements must attempt to persuade voters to support or reject an identifiable referendum question in order to trigger the registration requirements.The bulletin emphasizes that not every public message related to issues surrounding a referendum will qualify as referendum advertising.For example, displaying an Alberta flag, a Canadian flag or both does not constitute referendum advertising because the display alone does not advocate for or against a referendum question.Similarly, slogans such as "Celebrate Alberta," "Celebrate Canada," or "Send a message to Ottawa" do not, on their own, meet the legal definition because they do not explicitly encourage voters to choose one option over another..The guidance specifically addresses Question 10, the proposed referendum on Alberta separation, stating that advertising falls under the legislation only if it promotes, opposes or encourages electors to vote for one of the two options on the ballot.The bulletin also provides additional examples of messages and events that may qualify as referendum advertising, along with exceptions to the rules.Elections Alberta said the interpretation bulletin should be read alongside its Guide for Referendum Third Party Advertisers by individuals and organizations planning to participate in referendum campaigns.
