Alberta voters have overwhelmingly rejected a move toward independence, with CBC News projecting early Tuesday that the province chose to remain in Canada. In early unofficial results from Elections Alberta, 901,447 voters (76.2%) backed remaining a province of Canada, against 281,342 (23.8%) who voted to begin the legal process toward a binding separation referendum, with counting still under way.

The ballot was not a direct vote on leaving Canada: Albertans were asked whether to remain, or to start a legal process that could eventually lead to a second vote on separation. The separation question was the tenth of ten questions put to voters, alongside issues such as immigration, health care, education and provincial powers.

Turnout was heavy — more than 1.35 million Albertans, about 43% of eligible voters, cast advance or special ballots. Results were delayed by more than two hours after 106 polling stations opened late and voting hours were extended; the last station, Edmonton's Westminster School, closed at 10 p.m. Mountain time. Elections Alberta will announce official results on October 29.

The result is a victory for Prime Minister Mark Carney, who grew up in Edmonton and had urged Albertans to "vote like Canada's future depends on it." Thomas Lukaszuk, the former Alberta deputy premier who led the Forever Canadian campaign, told supporters Canada was "united from coast to coast to coast." Alberta Premier Danielle Smith called the referendum under pressure from separatists in her United Conservative Party, though she herself opposes independence. Separatist campaigner Mitch Sylvestre said the movement was not finished: "Tonight isn't the finish line. We've awoken something in this province."

Sources: CBC News projection; Elections Alberta unofficial results; NPR / Associated Press reporting.