Overview
- The anti-separation campaign led by Thomas Lukaszuk far surpassed the 293,976-signature threshold required under Alberta’s pre–Bill 54 Citizen Initiative Act rules.
- Elections Alberta says the verification window runs through Dec. 27, with results to be released publicly no later than Jan. 6, 2026.
- Validation will include checks of names, addresses, signatures and dates, plus random sampling and calls designed to reach roughly a 95% confidence level.
- Elections Alberta has hired about 100 temporary staff and scheduled extended weekday and weekend shifts to complete the review on time.
- Lukaszuk is urging Premier Danielle Smith to have MLAs vote to reject separatism rather than hold a referendum, as a rival pro-independence question from the Alberta Prosperity Project remains under constitutional review by the Alberta Court of King’s Bench.