'No evidence' of voter fraud in UCP race after Jean, Schweitzer request hiatus

Alberta's United Conservative Party will notsuspend voting in its leadership race after two of the three candidates expressed fears of voter fraud.

With Saturday's voting deadlinelooming, both Brian Jean and Doug Schweitzerrequested Thursday night that polling be put on holdjust hours after membersbegan casting their ballots.

In a statement issued Friday afternoon, UCP'sleadership election committee saiditfound noevidence of security breaches.

"We have asked the campaigns to provide evidence to back up their allegations and have received none," said chair RobynHenwoodin an emailed statement.

No evidence of fraud

"To be diligent, we have also undertakena double check on the process and have found no evidence of fraud. As a committee, we have been very diligent to ensure a sound and reliable process."

Henwoodsaid security features such as IP address tracking and an audit haveensured voter security throughout the vote.

"To date, more than 65 per centof registered members have voted and we have heard from very few with PIN issues," she said.

The dual complaints fromJean andSchweitzer were submitted by emailaround 11 p.m.Thursday night, Henwoodsaid in an interview with CBC News early Friday morning.

"I got anemailfrom the two campaigns asking us to put a stop to the vote because they were concerned about voter fraud," Henwood said.

"Of course, we followed up with ourservice providers, as we have been doing all day long, since voting opened," she said. "There were absolutely no red flags at all.

"And the campaigns themselves haven't actuallyoffered us any evidence yet. They're just concerned that there could be voter fraud not that there actually is."

PIN security concerns

Both candidates said they were wary aboutvoter security because of concerns withpersonal identification numbers,said Henwood.

The only peoplewho could possibly do this would be the campaigns themselves. I do not doubt their integrity at all.-Robyn Henwood,chair of the UCP leadership election committee

The candidates areworriedpeople could votewithout being eligible members, but there are safety features in place to guarantee the security of PINs, she said.

"The chances of voter fraud are so small, the chances that someonewould get somebody else's PIN is nearly impossible.

"The only peoplewho could possibly do this would be the campaigns themselves and we know these leadership candidates.I do not doubt their integrity at all.

"There is absolutely no way they would commit voter fraud, so I have no concerns at all."

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The party remains confident in the process, said JaniceHarrington, the party's executive director.

Harrington said their processes are being reviewed by an auditor. The party executive and their voting officials will meet Friday morning to discuss "next steps," she said.

"We have been, from an operational perspective, reviewing the entire process," Harrington said.

Three candidates Brian Jean, Doug Schweitzerand Jason Kenney are all vying for the leadership of the newly-minted party which was created by the merger of the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta and the Wildrose Party earlier this year.

Kenney's campaign has not been involved in the voting complaints, but he did voice concerns about the process hours beforeany complaints were filed.

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Kenneytold reporters during a Calgary town hall on Thursday that many UCP members did not receive their PINsas requested, and a help line for voters was "jammed up" with calls that morning.

"This isnot the system I would have chosen,"Kenneysaid."The complex, multi-step process to register people online with photo ID has created challenges for a lot of folks thatI thinkis regrettable.

According to the UCP website, registered members who did not receive PIN information as requested can call 1-844-207-1543 to register over the phone. PINscan be used to vote either online or by phone.

Harrington said the plan is to announce thewinnerat a live event in Calgary between 5:30 and 5:45 p.m. Saturday.