Alberta’s Smith brushes off NDP voter list court battle, says legislation coming

Oct 7, 2026 | 4:18 PM

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is brushing off a court battle launched by the Opposition NDP over her government’s changes to voter list rules.

Smith says the new restrictions were called for by elections officials after a major data breach involving a separatist group earlier this year.

She says the NDP also asked for the changes, but the Opposition says that’s not the case.

NDP house leader Christina Gray says they wanted to see consequences for those involved and instead the government waited months to take action and the changes are risking the integrity of the upcoming referendum.

The new voter list rules, published last month, say Elections Alberta can only provide political parties with the number of voters in each voting area and municipality instead of lists with full names, addresses and phone numbers.

The NDP is challenging it in court, and argued in a hearing this week that the government is acting beyond its power and undermining the democratic purpose of having a voter list.

Smith says legislation is coming this fall to introduce new safeguards on voter information, and she hopes to get the NDP’s support.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 7, 2026.

by Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press