More questions are surfacing about the security of the UCP leadership vote

Some who say they never signed up for Jason Kenney’s United Conservative Party are listed as having voted, leaked document shows.

More questions are surfacing about the security of the UCP leadership vote. RCMP investigators have already taken statements from several individuals and UCP officials about fake email addresses, and CBC recently reported dozens of “fraudulent emails” were successfully used to cast votes during the race.

Out of 17 individuals who personally told PressProgress they didn’t vote or sign up for the party, 13 are somehow listed as having voted, in a new, leaked internal document.

The list, recently obtained by PressProgress, details every voter who cast a ballot in the UCP’s 2017 leadership race by name, address, and voting method, as of the afternoon of October 28th, 2019. A top UCP source who provided the list verified its authenticity but noted the draft of the list received was sent before voting closed, and is therefore incomplete.

Nevertheless, PressProgress managed to reach several individuals who said they didn’t vote in the party leadership race, yet whose names appear on the leaked UCP voter list.

For example, the document states Edmonton resident Ajay Pal Virk cast his vote on October 26, 2017. But this was news to Virk. “It’s not possible,” Virk told PressProgress after learning his name appeared on the list of those who voted. “I don’t vote. I’m not a citizen.”

Reached by PressProgress, Sukhwinder Sall also said she didn’t vote in the leadership race. “I don’t know about any of that,” she said, when asked about the October 26 vote attached to her name.

Harpreet Singha also told PressProgress she didn’t vote, and never signed up for UCP membership. “No, that’s not right,” she said. “Maybe my husband did.” Her husband Navjot is also listed as a UCP voter. Both voted on October 28, according to the leaked party list.

Additionally, while Kuldip Singh Battu confirmed to PressProgress he was a UCP member, he said he was “away” during the time of the 2017 leadership election. When asked if he voted in the leadership election, Battu told PressProgress “No, I didn’t,” noting he is not a Canadian citizen. Yet, he is listed as casting a vote in the election, on October 26, 2017.

The United Conservative Party did not respond to PressProgress’ request for comment.