艾伯塔省公民投票周一举行 提前投票首日近 17.5 万人参与、预计投票率可达八成
Edmonton——加拿大艾伯塔省将于周一（10 月 19 日）举行全省公民投票，就 10 项议题征询民意。其中最受关注的第 10 题问选民：是否同意省政府启动法律程序，使艾伯塔省得以就是否脱离加拿大举行具约束力的公投。本次投票结果不具约束力，但被视为该省分离议题的关键风向标。各投票站将于周一上午 9 时开放至晚 8 时。
提前投票反应踊跃。据 Elections Alberta 的数字，提前投票首日有近 17.5 万人投票；该机构预计，本次投票的整体投票率可达 80% 至 85%。
多项民调显示「留在加拿大」一方领先。Leger 于 10 月 2 日至 4 日进行的调查显示，70% 的受访者倾向留在加拿大，22% 支持启动分离公投程序；追踪机构 Writ 于 10 月 17 日更新的汇总则为 68% 对 26%。
选前最后阶段，总理 Mark Carney 发出团结呼吁。省长 Danielle Smith 表示，自己将投「留下」一票，并称如果「留下」一方胜出，她不会再批准第二次公投。主张分离的 Alberta Prosperity Project 负责人 Mitch Sylvestre 则对法新社表示，如果支持启动程序的一方得票低于 40%，他会感到惊讶。本站 10 月 17 日已报道本次投票的议题设置与民调背景，投票结果预计于周一晚间揭晓。
Alberta Votes Monday on Path Toward a Separation Referendum as Advance Turnout Surges
EDMONTON — Voters in the Canadian province of Alberta go to the polls on Monday, October 19, in a province-wide referendum on 10 questions. The most closely watched, Question 10, asks whether the provincial government should begin a legal process that could lead to a binding referendum on separating from Canada. Monday's vote is not itself binding, but it is seen as a key test of separatist sentiment. Polling stations will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Advance voting drew a strong response. Elections Alberta figures show close to 175,000 people voted on the first day of advance polls, and the agency expects overall turnout of 80 to 85 percent.
Polling puts the 'stay in Canada' side ahead. A Leger survey conducted October 2–4 found 70 percent of respondents favoured staying in Canada and 22 percent supported starting the separation-referendum process; the Writ tracker, updated October 17, put the figures at 68 percent to 26 percent.
In the final stretch, Prime Minister Mark Carney made a last appeal for unity. Premier Danielle Smith said she would vote to stay and that she would not approve a second referendum if the stay side wins. Mitch Sylvestre of the separatist Alberta Prosperity Project told AFP he would be surprised if support for launching the process came in below 40 percent. GSM reported the ballot questions and polling background on October 17; results are expected on Monday evening.
来源：GSM·美国（原文链接）
图片来源：加拿大艾伯塔省议会大楼（Edmonton）。照片：Wikimedia Commons（CC BY-SA 4.0）。The Alberta Legislature Building in Edmonton, Canada. Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).
GSM Global · 本篇英文版 English edition of this story
