The Alberta NDP has filed a court challenge against new provincial rules that restrict the voter information Elections Alberta can provide to political parties.
Under the new rules, parties may receive voter lists showing the number of voters in each voting area and municipality, but no longer receive information such as voters’ names, addresses, phone numbers and unique identification numbers.
The provincial government says the temporary changes are intended to better protect Albertans’ personal information following a major voter-list privacy breach earlier this year.
The NDP argues the changes go beyond the government’s authority and are inconsistent with the purpose of voter lists under provincial law. The party is also asking the court to order Elections Alberta to provide updated detailed voter lists to eligible political parties.
Elections Alberta says it will continue using the detailed voter list internally to manage and track voters during the Oct. 19 referendum.
No hearing date has been scheduled.