Kenney vote results to be announced 39 days after UCP leadership review meeting

The results of Jason Kenney's United Conservative Party leadership review will be made public on May 18, the party's president confirmed Thursday.

Ballots will be mailed to voters after the April 9 online Special General Meeting, and they have to be returned to the party by May 11 to be valid.

"Let me assure you that the party takes election integrity extremely seriously, and we have established several measures to ensure the integrity of the process," Cynthia Moore said in an email.

Elected constituency association presidents, chief financial officers, and secretaries are invited to scrutinise the process, Moore said.

On Tuesday the UCP board decided to cancel an in-person vote in Red Deer in favour of the mail-in vote, a decision that sparked controversy.

At least 33 UCP constituency association presidents cried foul over the change.

A smaller group of those officials held a protest on the steps of the legislature Thursday demanding that the party's board hold the vote in Red Deer, or resign.

Moore said an auditing firm would be brought in for independent oversight, but she did not clarify which firm is being hired.

"The integrity of the SGM and the reputation of the Party are of the highest importance to all of us, and the Board has approved a clear process to ensure both are protected throughout the SGM," Moore stated.

A complete list of the rules was posted online.