Elections Alberta began verifying signatures on the Stay Free Alberta independence petition in July 2026.
Claimed by: Elections Alberta news release, July 6, 2026
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Summary
On July 6, 2026, Elections Alberta began verifying signatures on the A Referendum Relating to Alberta Independence citizen initiative petition, following the Court of Appeal's June 29 partial stay. The agency received the signature sheets on May 4, 2026, but verification had been on hold after Leonard's May ruling quashed the petition. Elections Alberta has 21 days to complete verification using the method prescribed in the Citizen Initiative Act to achieve a 95% confidence level, including random sampling of signatories. The agency says it will report results on its website as soon as practical and no later than July 27, 2026. Stay Free Alberta claims roughly 302,000 signatures were collected, above the 177,732 required. Verification does not by itself restore the petition or trigger a referendum; Leonard's quashing ruling remains in effect on those steps pending the full appeal.
Evidence
On July 6, 2026, Elections Alberta began petition verification as directed by the Court of Appeal's June 29 partial stay, with results to be reported no later than July 27, 2026.
The verification process includes confirming original signatures, witness requirements, a statistically valid address sample, and contacting a random sample of signatories; the agency may contact electors by phone or email.
CBC reported Elections Alberta would begin verifying signatures after the partial stay, with Stay Free Alberta saying almost 302,000 signatures were collected.
Related claims
- 700,000 Albertans signed petitions demanding a referendum on separation.Needs context
- If 10% of Albertans sign a citizen initiative petition, the government must hold a binding referendum on that question.False
- The Alberta government appealed the court ruling that quashed the Stay Free Alberta separation petition.True
- An Alberta Court of Appeal judge granted a partial stay allowing Elections Alberta to verify Stay Free Alberta petition signatures while the appeal proceeds.True