Elections Alberta gets extra $6.7M to handle onslaught of recall petitions

Elections Alberta is getting $6.7 million in extra funding to handle the sudden outburst of recall petitions against legislature members.

A legislature committee unanimously granted the funding at a meeting on Friday.

Chief electoral officer Gordon McClure requested the extra money because his office is managing 21 active recall campaigns.

McClure told the committee last week verifying each petition would cost just over $300,000 and that $1.5 million is needed for shipping and postage of petition documents.

The approved money is about half of what Elections Alberta asked for a five weeks ago.

McClure requested an additional $13.5 million in budget funding, as verifying these petitions and other potential referendum initiatives requires additional staff and resources, and was inste