Alberta Election called for April 16, 2019

Alberta’s next provincial election will be held on Tuesday, April 16, 2019.

Voting stations for Alberta’s provincial election will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16, 2019. Advance voting stations will be open on April 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13. Visit Elections Alberta to find the location of your voting station.

Voters who will be away from their electoral division on Election Day and during the advance voting days can request a Special Ballot from Elections Alberta.

United Nurses of Alberta wrote to the leaders of all political parties with seats in the Alberta Legislature in mid-January asking them to respond to five questions about issues of urgent importance to nurses. We have posted the responses online.

UNA members running as candidates

A number of current and past members of United Nurses of Alberta have put their names forward to run as candidates in the election.

• Paula Cackett is member of UNA Local 84 (Hinton Healthcare Centre/Hinton Community) and is the New Democratic Party candidate in West Yellowhead.
• Doug Hart is a member of Local 2 (Red Deer Health Centre/Extendicare Michener) and is the NDP candidate in Lacombe-Ponoka.
• Holly Heffernan is a current associate member, former member of UNA Local 121 (Rockyview General Hospital) and former South Central District Representative. She is the NDP candidate in Drumheller-Stettler.
• Danielle Larivee is a past member and former president of UNA Local 315 (Keeweetinok Lakes Community). She is running for re-election as the NDP candidate in Lesser Slave Lake.
• Hannah Presakarchuk is a member of UNA Local 301 (University Hospital, Stollery Children's Hospital, Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute) and is the United Conservative Party candidate in Edmonton-Rutherford.
• Cam Westhead is a past member of UNA Local 115 (Foothills Medical Centre) and former South Central District representative. He is running for re-election as the NDP candidate in Banff-Kananaskis.

We will update this list if more UNA members announce their candidacies.

Time off for voting

Alberta's Election Act ensures that all eligible voters are allowed sufficient time to vote on Election Day. 

Section 132 of the Election Act allows for three consecutive hours for the purpose of voting.

An Employee’s regular work schedule may already allow for three consecutive hours while the polls are open (from 0900 to 2000 on Election Day).

If a shift begins at 1200, or ends by 1700, an Employee will have the three hours required by legislation to vote and would not be entitled to take additional time off.

The provisions contained in Section 132 of the Election Act state:

Time for voting

(1) An employee who is an elector qualified to vote shall, while the polls are open on polling day at an election or plebiscite, be allowed 3 consecutive hours for the purpose of casting the employee’s vote.

(2) If the employee’s hours of employment do not allow for the 3 consecutive hours’ absence, the employee’s employer shall allow the employee additional time for voting to provide the 3 consecutive hours, but the additional time for voting shall be granted at the convenience of the employer.

(3) No employer may make any deduction from the pay of an employee or impose on or exact from the employee any penalty by reason of the employee’s absence from employment during the 3 consecutive hours referred to in subsection (1) or additional time granted under subsection (2).

UNA encourages members to talk to their manager in advance to ensure they are able to have this time off in order to vote.