BC Liberal party candidate Christy Clark responses to a question on HST during a breakfast forum with other party candidates in Vancouver January 18, 2011.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
A marketing company has been cold-calling B.C. Liberals in an effort to ensure they are in fact party members in the runup to the leadership vote.
At this point, officials say, the company has phoned more than 3,000 Liberals, part of a vetting process designed to iron out possible irregularities in the system.
Norman Stowe, a spokesman for the Kevin Falcon campaign, said the tactic has hit close to his home. He said his own son was called and asked whether he knew he was a member, and whether he had paid and signed for his membership.
But Mr. Stowe said he welcomes the scrutiny, which comes as questions have been raised about the system after a cat was registered as a member. "I know people are getting called," he said. "At the end of the day, that's a very good thing. It's one of the tests the party has put in place."
Party spokesperson Lilian Kim said names are being picked at random and when discrepancies catch the eye of those reviewing memberships. She said she was not aware of any members who have been ruled out.
"It's to ensure that the people who have signed up for memberships have done so voluntarily and willingly," she said.
Meanwhile, the head of the Halifax-based company that will tally the votes on Feb. 26, as party members pick the next Liberal premier, said the online and phone-voting system is absolutely secure.
Dean Smith, president and founder of Intelivote Systems Inc., said the linchpin of the security is the PIN number all party members will get once the Liberals forward a validated list of members.
Mr. Smith said that number can be used for one vote, whether done online or by telephone.
"You can't be in this business if you haven't done your homework in terms of security," Mr. Smith said.
He said the company's systems have been used for NDP leadership races in Ontario and Saskatchewan, and 34 municipal elections in Ontario last year. They will also be running things when British Columbia New Democrats choose their leader on April. 17.
"From a security point of view, it's important that people understand that the system is designed, really, to allow anonymous secure voting and that's really what our claim to fame is," he said.
Ian Bailey