Alberta rejects raise for elections chief dealing with unprecedented workload

EDMONTON — Alberta’s chief electoral officer says he’s swamped with so much extra work — petitions, referendums, preparing for an election — that he deserves a raise.

But members of Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservative Party caucus who decide such pay bumps say no.

On Monday, UCP members used their majority on a legislature committee to reject Gordon McClure’s request for a three per cent salary hike.

McClure had told the committee the extra compensation would be fair, as he has faced an unprecedented workload since he took the job less than two years ago, forcing him to go “above and beyond.”

More than two dozen recall petitions and citizen-initiated referendum drives have been launched since last fall. While juggling those, McClure has also had to adjust to a series of legislative changes adopted by the government.

Also on McClure’s to-do list is prepare for the Oct. 19 referendum, which he said would include hiring between 60,000 and 90,000 temporary staff to hand count ballots.

Preparations are needed for next year’s provincial election as well, he said.

And there are a number of active Elections Alberta investigations, including one into a massive data breach involving the official voter list with names and addresses of nearly three million Albertans.

“I am stretched beyond compare and making the most of every resource you have given me,” McClure told the committee.

Opposition NDP committee members supported the raise request, calling it reasonable given how busy his office has been.

The raise was voted down by the UCP majority. None spoke to the decision.

During the meeting, UCP member Chelsae Petrovic questioned the timing of the request and why McClure wanted a permanent raise to deal with what could be one-time “situational workload increases.”

McClure, in response, said he fully expects the load to stay the same until at least the end of next year.

Provincial public sector compensation disclosures in 2024 show McClure’s annual salary was just over $138,000, plus nearly $33,000 for other benefits.

McClure is still set to receive a small salary increase this year, in line with annual cost of living bumps for public service workers. The three per cent he asked for would have been on top of that.

The committee heard that even with an extra three per cent McClure would still be paid less than his predecessor. McClure took 75 per cent of the maximum salary available for the role when he was hired, citing his inexperience.

After the meeting Monday, he said he still felt that his concerns were heard. “Their considerations are different than my wants.”

The committee did pass a motion to adopt a new “compensation strategy” for officers of the legislature, which includes McClure and others like the auditor general and provincial privacy commissioner.

NDP committee member David Shepherd told reporters it was ironic the governing UCP shot down McClure’s request, given that last week Smith approved a $500 monthly stipend for the eight members of her caucus who serve as parliamentary secretaries. They include Petrovic and three other UCP members who voted against McClure’s request.

“They each just got a five per cent raise for their work going around the province, supporting ministers in what’s already the largest cabinet in, well, in Alberta’s history,” Shepherd said.

“What we’ve seen time and time again with this UCP government is if it’s good for them, they’re happy to do it.

“If it’s for Albertans, forget it.”

In question period, Smith defended the extra money for parliamentary secretaries saying they were doing great work.

“When people are working for the public service, they deserve to be paid appropriately,” she said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 11, 2026.

Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press