Our Process
Our mission is to leverage the collective efforts of all of our groups to encourage and activate Albertans to share their most inspiring future for this province.
What is a Recall?
The Recall Act (Bill 54) gives Albertans a way to remove
elected officials they feel are not upholding their responsibilities. Albertans
who feel concern, anxiety, fear, or that their elected MLA is not upholding
their responsibilities within their constituency are permitted to request a
recall petition via Bill 54.
Why hold a recall?
A recall provides a legal, democratic mechanism by which
constituents can replace an unresponsive MLA to an MLA who focuses on the needs
of the constituents.
Who can request a recall? Why doesn’t ABR just do the
recall?
Bill 54 states that a recall application must be submitted
by a resident of the constituency. Our board of directors are located all
around the province and we can only act within our own constituencies. We
cannot apply for a recall in a constituency where we do not live.
When can an application be made?
An application may be made during the MLA’s term in office
except: within the 18 months immediately following the day on which the MLA was
elected, within the 6 months before the fixed election day, or if another
application for recall for that electoral division has been issued or published
by the Chief Electoral Officer.
The application period for this current term opened on November
29, 2024!
What does a recall involve?
Understand the Criteria: In Alberta, there are specific
criteria that must be met for a recall petition to be initiated. If an Albertan
feels the MLA in their constituency is not upholding their responsibilities,
they can apply to the Chief Electoral Officer for a petition to recall that
elected official.
Form a Petition Committee: The first recommended step is to form a petition committee. This Committee will be responsible for organizing and overseeing the petition process. The Committee should consist of residents who support the recall effort and are willing to dedicate time and effort to the cause. The Committee should identify who will submit the Application for Recall Petition (the “Applicant”) and who will act as Chief Financial Officer for the Recall Petition.
Apply for a recall petition
The following is mandatory for a Recall Petition
Application:
The applicant must fill out the Recall Petition Application Form.
The Notice of Recall Petition requires the applicant to
provide a statement of 200 words or fewer stating the reason for the recall.
Elections Alberta uses an electronic word count feature and will deny
submissions with more than 200 words. The Notice of Recall Petition will be
made public and must be reviewed by all electors signing the petition.
Authorized ID demonstrating the elector’s identity and
address within the electoral division.
Appointment of Chief Financial Officer: a signed statement
identifying the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the petition, providing the
CFO’s residential address (including postal code and mailing address if
different from the residential address), phone number, and e-mail address. Sample - Appointment of Chief Financial
Officer
The $500 application fee, paid by cash, a certified cheque
and/or bank or postal money order made payable to “Government of Alberta”
Sample - Recall Petition Application Form
Recall Petition: Once the application has been approved, the
applicant will be provided with the petition signature sheets and witness
affidavits in the format that must be used. Signatures collected on other forms
will not be accepted. The applicant is responsible for making copies of the
forms.
Sample - Notice of Recall Petition
Signature Canvassers:
The applicant must register every individual that they wish to canvass on their
behalf. Canvassers must be electors who have lived in the electoral division in
the previous 3-month period before canvassing.
Collect Signatures: The petition committee must collect
signatures from eligible electors in the constituency. In Alberta, only
eligible electors who are registered to vote in the constituency can sign the
recall petition. Application to Canvass for a Recall Petition must be submitted
to Elections Alberta along with a copy of Authorized Identification for that
canvasser.
Requirements for Signatures:
Print legibly their surname and given names
Supply the physical address where they ordinarily reside at
the time of signing
Provide their telephone number and/or email address
Confirm that they are an elector, living within the
division for the previous 3 months
Date on which they signed the petition
All signatures must be captured within the 60-day canvassing
period
Submit the Petition:
Once enough signatures have been collected, the petition must be submitted to
the Chief Electoral Officer of Alberta. The petition committee should ensure
that all required documentation is included and that the petition meets the
necessary criteria.
Verification Process: The Chief Electoral Officer will
verify the signatures on the petition to ensure they meet the requirements.
This process may take some time, and the petition committee should be prepared
to provide any additional information or documentation as requested.
Public Notice: If the petition is deemed valid, a public
notice will be issued, and a recall vote will be scheduled. The MLA targeted
for recall will have an opportunity to respond to the allegations before the
recall vote takes place.
Recall Vote: A recall vote will be held, allowing
eligible electors in the constituency to vote on whether to recall the MLA. If
the majority of voters support the recall, the MLA's seat will become vacant,
triggering a by-election to fill the vacancy.
What if the recall fails?
There is a possibility that a recall will fail in many
constituencies in Alberta. However, in other constituencies - particularly
those in Calgary and Lethbridge - the sitting MLA won by a minuscule margin.
This minimal number - a few hundred in most cases - can be swayed via suitable
promotion and education within the community ahead of a recall byelection.
How do you define “upholding their responsibilities”?
According to the Alberta legislature website, “The role of an MLA includes many different roles and responsibilities. Representing constituents in the Assembly is arguably the most visible aspect of the job, but MLAs invest countless hours in the communities they serve and advocate on behalf of Albertans through many channels."
On any given day an MLA may speak in the Assembly, meet with community representatives in their constituency, study background on an issue, facilitate complex policy discussions, deliver remarks as a guest speaker, troubleshoot negotiations and act as a goodwill ambassador for their constituency, the Legislative Assembly and the Province of Alberta.
Constituents are all people living within the electoral boundaries of a constituency, including those who voted in the last election, regardless of their chosen candidate, those who didn’t vote and even those who are not eligible to vote.
There are many MLAs in Alberta constituencies who have failed to meet these guidelines. AB Resistance is here to provide evidence for each MLA as requested by the constituents to help streamline their recall application process.