Alberta Voter Data for 2.9 Million Residents Allegedly Exposed in Breach

A lawsuit has been filed in Alberta, Canada alleging that personal information belonging to 2.9 million residents was improperly accessed. The lawsuit names Alberta's government, its Chief Electoral Officer, and two organizations that support secession. According to the legal filing, an organization called the Centurion Project allegedly obtained voter data unlawfully. A retired class-action lawyer filed the lawsuit last week.

If you are a registered voter in Alberta, your personal information from voter registration records may have been improperly accessed. This typically includes your name, address, and voting history (whether you voted, not how you voted). The lawsuit suggests this information was obtained and used without proper authorization. While voter registration is often considered public or semi-public information, there are rules about how it can be accessed and used.

If you are an Alberta resident, here is what you should do:

1. Watch for unexpected political communications, mailings, or contact from organizations you have not interacted with before.
2. Be cautious about any emails or texts claiming to be from political organizations asking you to confirm your personal information or click links.
3. Report any suspicious contact to Alberta's Chief Electoral Officer.
4. Keep an eye on your regular mail for anything unusual, as your address may have been part of the exposed data. This type of breach is different from financial data breaches because it involves voter information rather than credit cards or passwords, but it can still lead to targeted scams or harassment. Voter data breaches remind us that our information exists in many databases beyond just banking and shopping sites. While you cannot usually opt out of voter registration databases, you can be alert to how your information might be misused. If you receive political communications that seem to know details about you, that information may have come from voter files. Be skeptical of anyone who contacts you claiming to represent official election offices and asking you to verify information or make payments. Legitimate election officials will not ask you for money or request that you confirm personal details via email or text.