OMM Newsroom
A majority of voters in Canada’s western province of Alberta supported remaining part of the country in a nonbinding referendum, according to projections by “CBC News” reported by Anadolu Agency.
With 1,480 of 5,587 polling stations reporting, preliminary figures showed that 76.2%, or 826,918 voters, favoured staying in Canada. Another 23.8%, or 257,726 voters, backed starting the separation process.
The ballot asked: “Should Alberta remain a province of Canada, or should the Government of Alberta commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada?”
Around 1.36 million residents cast ballots through advance and special voting mechanisms, according to the provincial election agency, Elections Alberta.
The ballot contained 10 questions. The first nine concerned immigration and constitutional matters, while the final question focused on Alberta’s future within Canada.
The referendum is nonbinding and does not automatically determine whether Alberta will leave the Canadian federation.
Elections Alberta said ballots would be counted by hand, with the separation question counted first. The agency expected unofficial results within 48 hours of polls closing, while official results were scheduled for Oct. 29.
