By Lisa Johnson
The Canadian Press
Posted October 20, 2025 6:21 pm
1 min read
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Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s government is planning to introduce legislation this fall to limit who can run in provincial elections.

Government house leader Joseph Schow says the changes will ensure only those who, in his words, “truly care and are serious about representing a community” will be put on the ballot.
Schow, speaking to reporters, declined to provide details on how that process would work.
Asked how the bill would ensure the candidate approval process would not be abused for partisan political reasons, Schow would only say the goal is to bring transparency and clarity to the process.

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He says there have been instances around the country where “certain interest groups” have created very long ballots of names “to confuse” voters.
Justice Minister Mickey Amery will be introducing the legislation, and his office confirmed that it will only apply to provincial elections.
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The fall legislature sitting begins Thursday with a speech from the throne.

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