Elections Alberta says 313 special ballot packages for Alberta’s upcoming referendum were mistakenly sent to voters without ballots as applications for mail-in voting approach 520,000.The agency said Friday its service provider identified and fixed a production problem responsible for the missing ballots. The affected packages represent about 0.09% of special ballot packages issued, and replacement packages have been sent to the affected voters.As of Sept. 17, Elections Alberta had received almost 520,000 applications for special ballots. About 72% had been approved and sent for production and mailing, with more than 330,000 mailed to voters.More than 24,000 completed special ballot packages have already been returned and approved.Elections Alberta said another 7,200 applications have been delayed because of addressing problems, typos or other errors submitted by applicants.Officials are working to correct the problems and may contact voters directly to ensure ballots are sent to the proper recipients and addresses.Voters can track the status of their special ballots through a link included in the confirmation they received when applying. Elections Alberta said anyone whose application has not been approved after three weeks should contact its special ballot line.The deadline to request a special ballot online or through a local returning office is Sept. 25.Beginning Sept. 21, voters applying for special ballots will also be able to request that their packages be picked up at their local returning offices.Elections Alberta warned voters that special ballot packages must include copies of acceptable identification and the required declaration. Packages missing those documents cannot be accepted.The agency said voters should not mail original identification and can instead provide photocopies, scans or photographs. Black-and-white copies are acceptable as long as the information is legible.Canada Post recommends completed special ballots be mailed by Oct. 9 to ensure they arrive before the Oct. 16 deadline at 5 p.m.Voters whose special ballots do not arrive by the deadline can still cast ballots during advance voting or in person on Oct. 19.Elections Alberta said the voting register is updated when a special ballot is received to prevent voters from casting more than one ballot.The agency attributed the unusually high number of special ballot applications partly to the elimination of the requirement that voters provide a reason for requesting one. It also pointed to the removal of the previous "vote anywhere" option and the number of referendum questions voters will be considering..Elections Alberta will launch a referendum website Monday with information on voter eligibility, registration, identification requirements, voting locations and ballot counting.Advance voting will run from Oct. 13 to 17, with referendum day scheduled for Oct. 19. Unofficial results will be published after all voting locations are confirmed closed on referendum night.Where to Vote cards are expected to be mailed to voters at the end of September and will list advance voting locations in their electoral divisions as well as their assigned referendum-day polling stations.Elections Alberta is also continuing to recruit workers for the referendum.About 48,000 people have applied and approximately 25,000 election officers have been hired. Officials said several electoral divisions, particularly sparsely populated rural areas, still need workers.Areas seeking additional applicants include Peace River, Cardston-Siksika, Lesser Slave Lake, Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche, Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo, Taber-Warner, Grande Prairie-Wapiti, West Yellowhead and Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul.Applicants must be at least 16, sign an oath, pass a criminal record check and comply with Elections Alberta's policy governing political activities.Elections Alberta is also launching a program allowing sports teams, community organizations, volunteer groups and other groups to apply to work together during the referendum. Members can be hired as election officers with their pay directed through the group.The program will begin accepting inquiries through local returning offices Sept. 21.
