Recall Petitions: Alberta's Political Everest Crumbles Again

CALGARY, AB — Two days after the second high-profile recall petition collapsed, Albertans are being urged to keep signing—even as the numbers suggest the 60% signature threshold is a political Everest few can summit.

The social media call to action landed on February 4, just 48 hours after Deputy Speaker Angela Pitt's recall effort in Airdrie-East died with roughly 2,200 signatures—less than 15% of the 15,000 required. That followed the January 21 failure of the petition targeting Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides in Calgary-Bow, which fell nearly 10,000 signatures short despite three months of canvassing.

The message: "Albertans, we're in manure up to our necks. Get the hell off your butts and sign these recall petitions."

The Math Problem

Alberta's Recall Act—introduced by the UCP in 2021 and amended mid-2025—requires organizers to collect valid signatures from 60% of voters who cast ballots in the most recent provincial election within 90 days. That's not 60% of people who care. That's 60% of everyone who showed up last time.

As of December 2025, 26 legislature members were facing recall petitions: 24 United Conservative Party politicians (more than half of Premier Danielle Smith's caucus) and two Opposition New Democrats. The wave started after the government invoked the notwithstanding clause to end a teachers' strike, triggering a coordinated pushback dubbed "Operation Total Recall."

But the first two petitions to reach their deadlines didn't just fall short—they collapsed. Nicolaides' organizers managed 6,519 preliminary signatures against a target of 16,006. Pitt's campaign couldn't crack 2,200.

The Machine

Elections Alberta, led by Chief Electoral Officer Gordon McClure, received an additional $6.7 million in December to process the flood of petitions—about half what the agency requested. Each petition costs roughly $1.1 million to verify, requiring over 100 temporary staff to meet the 21-day verification deadline.

Organizers pay a $500 application fee upfront and face a $26,400 spending cap during the 90-day signature drive. If a petition clears the threshold, a constituency-wide recall vote is held within four months. A simple majority triggers removal and a by-election.

The window for launching a recall runs from 18 months after a general election to six months before the next one. That clock is ticking.

What's Next

The remaining active petitions are now operating in the shadow of two spectacular flameouts. Elections Alberta has not issued new guidance on whether the 60% bar—set in mid-2025—is functionally insurmountable outside low-turnout ridings.

The call to action continues. The signatures, so far, do not.