UCP leadership vote moved online as party membership doubles

Next month’s contentious United Conservative Party leadership vote is going online, due to a massive increase in membership.

According to a message from the UCP board obtained by CityNews, mail-in ballots will also be used, instead of holding the event in person in Red Deer on April 9th to decide whether Kenney should stay on as party leader.

NEW:

UCP leadership review gets a new twist, as party moves to a mail-in ballots for the April 9th vote on Jason Kenney's future.

Event will also go virtual. #Yeg #yyc #ableg pic.twitter.com/6FPlrdQikI

— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) March 23, 2022

Membership in the party has doubled, and there are more than 15,000 people registered to vote—the party is also dropping its registration fee.

More details on the vote will be released in the coming days, and a national auditing firm will be hired to oversee the process.

Kenney’s leadership is being openly challenged by a segment of the party and if he doesn’t get more than 50 per cent support in the review a leadership race must be called.

Relataed articles: 

• UCP membership soars as intraparty fight over Alberta premier’s leadership escalates

• Some UCP MLAs attack each other ahead of leadership review

• Brian Jean returns to Alberta legislature as UCP member with anti-Kenney intentions

Meanwhile, the NDP is going to make a move towards possibly triggering an early election, by initiating a vote of non-confidence.

Several opposition MLA’s are holding a press conference Wednesday afternoon, with the main criticism being the provincial budget.

–With files from the Canadian Press