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2h ago

Elections Alberta Approves 14 Recall Petitions Targeting UCP MLAs, Raising Risk to Smith’s Majority

The surge tests a recall law Smith’s government recently eased.

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A total of nine UCP MLA recall petitions have been approved by Elections Alberta, which says six new legislature members have had recall petitions recently approved.
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Alberta's Recall Act was brought in under former UCP premier Jason Kenney as a way to empower citizens and hold politicians accountable between general elections.

Overview

  • Five new petitions were approved Tuesday against Searle Turton, Nathan Neudorf, Jason Stephan, Jackie Lovely and Glen van Dijken, bringing the total to 14.
  • Earlier approvals included cabinet ministers Rajan Sawhney, Myles McDougall and RJ Sigurdson, plus Speaker Ric McIver, Muhammad Yaseen, Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides, Nolan Dyck and Deputy Speaker Angela Pitt.
  • Petitioners have 90 days to gather signatures equal to 60% of the votes cast in each riding in 2023, after which a verified petition triggers a recall vote within four months and a simple majority would remove the MLA and force a byelection.
  • Organizers frequently cite the government’s use of the notwithstanding clause to end a provincewide teachers’ strike and complaints about MLA responsiveness as motivations, while targeted MLAs dispute those claims.
  • Elections Alberta says its request for more than $13 million to manage the workload was denied, as Premier Danielle Smith signals possible changes to the Recall Act and UCP members argue the process is being weaponized over policy disputes.