What's an electorate?

The electorate is defined as the total body of qualified voters.  So then, who all is included as a qualified voter?  What happens if a qualified voter is unable to be present at a polling station on election day? Are prison inmates allowed to vote?

You are eligible to vote in a provincial election so long as you meet the following requirements:

• Are a Canadian citizen

• Are 18 years of age or older

• Have been or will have been ordinarily resident in Alberta six months after a date determined by the Chief Electoral Officer.

The following persons are not eligible to vote:

• Returning Officers (except to break a tie at the official count or judicial recount);

• Persons disqualified from voting under the Elections Act;

• Persons who have been convicted of offenses and on polling day are serving their sentences in a correctional facility, excluding persons sentenced to terms of imprisonment of 10 days or less or for the non-payment of fines.

If you will be unable to vote on election day, you can vote in an advance poll. Advance polls are open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on each of the Thursday, Friday and Saturday of the full week preceding election day. If you are in a treatment centre or a senior's lodge, a mobile poll may be set up for you to vote there. 

For more information on this topic, refer to the Elections Act available at the Queen's Printer Bookstore.