Province waits for results of referendum questions, Senate nominee race

By Trevor Busch LETHBRIDGE HERALD on October 20, 2021.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDtbusch@lethbridgeherald.com

While Monday’s focus was inevitably on municipal election results, Lethbridge voters also cast ballots on two provincial referendum questions and the Senate nominee race.
In Lethbridge, support was strongest for preferred Senate candidates Pam Davidson (8731, 18.11 per cent), Erika Barootes (7807, 16.20 per cent) and Mykhailo Martyniouk (5766, 11.96 per cent).
While some municipalities in Alberta released their unofficial vote results on election night, not all did, and Albertans will have to wait until Oct. 26 to see the official results of this process.
The results of the Senate vote are non-binding. While preferred candidates voted on by Albertans have been appointed to the Senate in the past, ultimately it is up to the prime minister and Privy Council Office to decide who will be selected.
Similar to the Senate vote, official results on the two provincial referendum questions will not be officially released until Oct. 26, but in Lethbridge unofficial results for both questions were posted on election night.
Lethbridge voters provided a bare majority (51.22 per cent, 14158) in support of ending the practice of changing clocks twice a year with a move to permanent daylight time. Provincially, this referendum question is binding, and a successful vote would see this system take effect in fall 2022.
Local results were stronger (59.19 per cent, 15608) on the question of whether the principle of making equalization payments should be removed from the Constitution.
This vote was non-binding, as equalization payments are a federal issue and would require the approval of the House of Commons, Senate and at least two thirds of the provinces to be implemented.

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