Elections Alberta investigating allegation of bulk UCP membership purchases

The United Conservative Party is facing another obstacle in the tumultuous lead-up to its announcement of the leadership review vote on May 18.

A letter obtained by CBC News shows Elections Alberta is investigating allegations made about bulk UCP membership purchases.

In the letter, the investigator writes, "depending on how these purchases were financed, a violation of the Election Finances and Contributions Disclosure Act (EFCDA), and related Elections Alberta guidelines, may have occurred."

In an email statement to CBC on Saturday, a UCP spokesperson said "we've not been contacted by Elections Alberta and are not aware of any investigation."

The statement adds that membership purchases are accepted in three ways: with someone paying on a personal credit card for themselves or family, by cheque, or by cash if the person signs a membership application confirming their identity.

Brian Jean, a UCP caucus member and political foe of Jason Kenney, has been vocal about his concerns that some of the approximately 59,000 voters in the leadership vote were possibly signed up for memberships without their knowledge and with their $10 registration paid by someone else.

Vitor Marciano, an aide working for Jean, confirmed to CBC News that the Jean campaign made a complaint at the end of March to Elections Alberta about concerns that UCP memberships were purchased in bulk before Bill 81 came into effect. Marciano said they named the Kenney campaign as part of their complaint.

Marciano believes others also filed complaints to Elections Alberta as well.

"I believe we weren't the only ones, but I don't know for a fact," he said.

It is not known if the complaint from the Jean campaign is what spurred the investigation by Elections Alberta.

Elections Alberta did not respond to CBC's requests for comment.

A major sticking point in all of this is The Election Statutes Amendment Act, or Bill 81, which was passed in December.

The controversial bill allows for someone to buy memberships in other people's names without those people being notified.

However, Bill 81 did not come into effect until March 31.