Canada's Alberta votes to remain in federation, projections show

A majority of voters in Canada's western province of Alberta voted to remain part of the country, Canadian broadcaster CBC News projected following a nonbinding referendum.

With 1,480 of 5,587 polling stations reporting, preliminary figures showed 76.2% of voters, or 826,918 people, favored remaining in Canada, while 23.8%, or 257,726 voters, supported initiating the separation process.

The referendum asked voters: "Should Alberta remain a province of Canada, or should the Government of Alberta commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada?"

Around 1.36 million residents cast ballots through advance and special voting mechanisms, according to provincial election agency Elections Alberta.

The ballot included 10 questions, with the first nine addressing immigration and constitutional matters and the final question focusing on Alberta's future within Canada.

The referendum is nonbinding and does not automatically determine whether Alberta leaves the Canadian federation.

Elections Alberta said ballots would be counted by hand, with the separation question counted first.

The agency said unofficial results were expected within 48 hours of polls closing, while official results were scheduled for Oct. 29.