A protest group that previously overwhelmed the ballot in Pierre Poilievre’s former riding is planning a repeat performance—this time in Alberta. The Longest Ballot Committee is now seeking at least 200 individuals willing to register as candidates in the upcoming Battle River–Crowfoot byelection, where Poilievre is expected to run in a bid to return to Parliament.
The same group previously engineered the addition of 85 extra candidates to the Carleton ballot during the April federal election, contributing to a total of 91 names and the Conservative leader’s narrow defeat to Liberal Bruce Fanjoy by 4,315 votes. The stunt caused significant logistical challenges for Elections Canada and drew national attention.
In an email to supporters, the group said, “Given the outpouring of interest, we will do our best to make a long ballot happen if we get at least 200 people signing up.” They argue that the aim is not merely disruption, but a protest against Canada’s electoral system, which they say should be shaped by a non-partisan, citizen-led body—not politicians themselves.
The upcoming byelection was triggered by the resignation of Damien Kurek, the sitting Conservative MP for Battle River–Crowfoot, who stepped aside to allow Poilievre to run. Kurek had secured the seat with over 82% of the vote in 2021. Prime Minister Mark Carney has indicated that he will call the byelection promptly to facilitate Poilievre’s return to the House of Commons.
Despite the group’s campaign, Poilievre has continued to rally supporters online. In a recent video, he acknowledged the electoral loss and emphasized his commitment to return stronger and hold the government to account.
The Longest Ballot Committee says their protest will continue “until politicians recuse themselves from deciding election rules.” They describe their efforts as both serious activism and a bit of political satire.
However, not everyone finds the effort amusing. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith criticized the tactic during a radio show over the weekend, stating, “That’s not what good democracy looks like. Pierre Poilievre was clearly targeted.” She added that her government is reviewing the Alberta Elections Act to prevent what she called “gaming of the system.”
As of Saturday, the committee had already signed up 32 names for the upcoming ballot. While the group has not disclosed a full count, they remain optimistic about hitting their target and using the expanded ballot as a platform for electoral reform advocacy.
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