Alberta votes Monday on whether to start path toward leaving Canada

Voters in Alberta go to the polls Monday, October 19, to decide whether the oil-rich province should remain in Canada or begin a legal process toward a binding referendum on separation, according to The Canadian Press and The Associated Press.

The AP noted the ballot is not a direct vote on independence. The separation question is the 10th of 10 questions put to voters by Premier Danielle Smith; the other nine deal with immigration and constitutional reform.

Carney appeals in Calgary

Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed a "Forever Canadian" rally of thousands in Calgary on Thursday, The Canadian Press reported. The AP said he urged Albertans not to cast a protest vote, acknowledged grievances over federal energy policy, and said outside forces were trying to break Canada, without naming the United States.

Smith, who called the vote, has said she supports staying in Canada but that backing for separation is higher than she would like, according to the AP. Separatist campaigners told the AP they see the vote as leverage in talks with Ottawa.

The vote by the numbers

Figures reported by The Canadian Press:

| Item | Figure | |---|---| | Eligible electors | nearly 3 million | | Expected turnout | 80%–85% | | Advance polling stations | 310 | | Election-day stations | just over 1,400 | | Mail-in ballots requested | about 658,000 |

Ballots will be counted by hand, with the separation question tallied first. Early results are expected after 8 p.m. local time Monday, with a final count in the early hours of Tuesday.

The vote unfolds amid President Donald Trump's trade war with Canada and his repeated talk of making it a US state, the AP reported.