Leaked Alberta voter list with three million names traced to party copy
Prime Minister Mark Carney called the publication of Alberta's voter list deeply concerning on May 3, after a separatist group put the names and addresses of nearly three million electors into a searchable online app.
The leak exposed the home addresses of most adult Albertans. An Edmonton city councillor said his office was helping a woman facing intimate partner violence relocate after her address appeared in the database, The Canadian Press reported.
What happened
The Centurion Project, a group campaigning for Alberta separation, published the voter information through an app. Elections Alberta opened an investigation, including into how the group got the list, and obtained a court injunction ordering the app shut down. It was taken offline at the end of April.
Investigators found the database matched a copy of the official voter list legally provided to the Republican Party of Alberta the previous summer. It was not clear whether the party passed it on or whether it was obtained another way. The party denies wrongdoing. Provincial law allows such lists to go only to elected officials, parties and party officials, and only for fundraising, recruiting members and communicating with voters.
Carney said he expected "Elections Alberta and the RCMP to work thoroughly and expeditiously."
What has happened since
Elections Alberta, the RCMP and the provincial privacy commissioner are investigating, and Elections Alberta says thousands of people may have viewed the database. On Sept. 17, the province published a temporary policy that strips names, addresses and phone numbers from voter-list copies given to parties until the end of 2026, CP reported. The government says it will bring in legislation to strengthen privacy and election integrity.
Why it matters
Voter lists are among the few government datasets routinely copied to outside groups. Once a copy leaves the election agency, its security depends on the practices of whoever holds it.
What to do
Albertans who believe the leak puts their safety at risk should contact police, and can raise concerns about their listing with Elections Alberta. Be wary of unsolicited contact that cites your home address.
