Candidate Selection Rules

Alberta Priority:
Restoring Trust, Together

Candidate Selection Rules and Procedures
Authorized under Article 10 of the Alberta Priority Party Constitution.

Preamble: The Alberta Priority Party (“Party”) respects and values the Members and the significant role
of Constituency Associations as the primary organization through which Member rights are exercised.
The Party encourages CAs to choose their own Candidate, but will provide assistance upon request.
All Nomination Contests must conform with these Candidate Selection Rules and Procedures.
I General
A. These Candidate Selection Rules and Procedures (“Rules”) are established and maintained under
the authority of the Alberta Priority Party (“Party”) Constitution and Applicable Laws.
B. Definitions

Terms defined in Applicable Laws, the Bylaws and Constitution shall have the same meaning
in these Rules unless otherwise defined herein.
In these Rules, the following terms have these meanings:
i. “Applicant” means a person who has submitted an Application to become a Nomination
Contestant, but has not yet been approved;
ii. “Application” means the cumulative documents, stipulated payments, nomination petition,
and other requirements set out in Section V of these Rules;
iii. “Candidate” means a person who is selected for endorsement as the official candidate of the
Party for an electoral division pursuant to Applicable Laws and these Rules;
iv. “LCNC” means a local candidate nominations committee formed by a CA in accordance
with these Rules;
v. For the purposes of these Rules, “Member” means a Party member with voting privileges
who is ordinarily resident within a Constituency;
vi. “Nomination Contest” means the process by which a Constituency Association chooses a
person to become a Candidate for their Constituency;
vii. “Nomination Contestant” means an Applicant who has complied with all the requirements
of Applicable Laws and these Rules, thereby qualifying them to seek to become a
Candidate;
viii. “Official Call” means both the date registered with the Chief Electoral Officer marking the
beginning of a Nomination Contest, and the notice and particulars of the Nomination
Contest sent to Members and posted on the Party website on that date.
ix. “PCNC” means the Party candidate nominations committee created by the Board as
prescribed in the Standing Committee List, to oversee the provincial nominations process
conducted in accordance with these Rules;
x. “Provincial Member” means a Member who, among other things, is eligible to become a
Nomination Contestant as provided in the Constitution.

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C. CA boards have the primary responsibility to plan, finance and execute their Constituency’s
Nomination Contests with the general oversight, assistance and advice of the PCNC, and delegating
specific functions to their duly appointed LCNCs as prescribed by these Rules. No business other than
the selection of a Candidate may be conducted through a Nomination Contest.
D. The CA board President or CFO shall attest to their Candidate’s endorsement as the official
candidate of the Party in their Electoral Division, in a statement to that effect for the Candidate to file
with the Chief Electoral Officer in support of his or her application for registration as a Candidate
under Applicable Laws.
E. In the event that the Nomination Contest for a Constituency is administered by the PCNC rather
than a LCNC, the Party President or CFO may supply the Candidate with the above noted attestation.
F. Authority to reject an Applicant, disqualify a Nomination Contestant, or rerun a Nomination Contest
for cause lies with:

The CA board if the Nomination Contest is administered by the LCNC; or
The Board if the Nomination Contest is administered by the PCNC.
Those affected may appeal the decision to the Arbitration Committee.
G. The Leader, PCNC, Board or Executive Director may recommend at any time that a CA board
effect the withdrawal of their Candidate for cause. The CA board shall call a meeting without delay to
consider such recommendation with representation at the meeting of the party or parties recommending
the withdrawal. Effecting the involuntary withdrawal of a Candidate requires a two-thirds vote of the
CA board, whose decision is final and may not be appealed.
H. The CA board, LCNC, PCNC or Board as the case may be, may assess a reasonable fee for
processing an appeal of any decision made in good faith under these Rules.
II Party Candidate Nominations Committee (“PCNC”)
A. The Board shall appoint the Party Candidate Nominations Committee as prescribed in the
Constitution to:
moniter and ensure the uniform and consistent administration of these Rules;
devise, deploy and distribute to LCNCs standardized forms, vetting procedures, templates,
manuals, educational tools and other useful tools to guide LCNCs through the Application
Process to ensure fair and equitable treatment of all Applicants;
offer input and advice concerning the acceptance or rejection of Applicants, or any other
matter arising during the CA’s conduct of a Nomination Contest;
be the first channel for resolving disputes arising from these Rules;
conduct Nomination Contests for Constituencies that are either unable or unwilling to manage
their own, if the PCNC chooses to do so; and
screen and maintain a list of third party contractors able to satisfy the access, security, and
confidentiality requirements of electronic voting, and provide the list to LCNCs upon request.

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B. The PCNC shall record minutes of its meetings, which shall be filed with the Party Secretary, who
will copy them to all LCNC Chairs.
C. The PCNC may pass a motion or motions to delegate any of its duties to an agent or agents either
within or outside the Party, but shall do so with clarity and specificity, and with appropriate safeguards
in place to protect the confidentiality of sensitive Party information.
III Local Candidate Nomination Committee (“LCNC”)
A. The Party recognizes that the primary responsibility for selecting a Candidate to represent the Party
in an election or by-election lies with each Constituency Association.
B. In order to achieve this goal every CA shall have access to the experience, advice, educational
opportunities and other resources collectively held by the Party, principally through the PCNC in
cooperation with the Board and Party staff and contractors.
C. A Constituency Association wishing to nominate a Candidate for a general election or by election
must first appoint a LCNC to manage its Nomination Contest. Alternatively, a CA board may, by a
two-thirds vote of its members, request the PCNC to manage its Nomination Contest.
D. LCNCs shall be comprised of:

three (3) CA board members, none of whom shall be CA President unless this provision is
waived by the PCNC and a two-thirds vote of the CA board; and
up to two (2) Members residing in the Constituency; and
the Regional Director for the Constituency’s region.
Two (2) additional CA directors or Members may be appointed as LCNC alternates in the event that
one or more of the original LCNC members resigns or is otherwise unable to fulfill their duties. The
alternates may attend and participate in LCNC meetings, but unless they are Chair have no vote until
installed as full LCNC members.
E. The following Members may not serve on any LCNC:
Members of the PCNC;
Members of Caucus, the Leader, or any of their immediate family members or employees;
Employees of the Alberta Legislature or Parliament of Canada;
Board members other than the Constituency’s Regional Director.
F. At its first meeting the LCNC shall elect or appoint from among its members, including the
alternates, a Chair and a Secretary. The Chair may not vote except to make or break a tie. The Chair
and Secretary shall ensure that:
regular communications with the PCNC are held, a summary of which shall be shared with
LCNC members at every meeting;
notice of all meetings are sent to all LCNC members at least four (4) days in advance of each
meeting;

meeting minutes are kept and regularly reported to the PCNC and the CA board;
LCNC members are aware of all rules pertaining to a Nomination Contest.
G. Every LCNC member and alternate must sign a declaration agreeing they will:
not seek to become a Nomination Contestant;
maintain strict neutrality throughout the Nomination Contest;
preserve the confidentiality of all matters arising from their duties on the LCNC.
Violating any of these conditions may result in the removal or replacement of LCNC members by a
majority vote of the CA board or PCNC. The CA board or PCNC may also, by a two-thirds vote and
for cause, suspend or replace any or all of the LCNC members.
H. Every LCNC is tasked with, and empowered to:
initiate and conduct a Nomination Contest in compliance with these Rules;
conduct complete and impartial interviews with each Nomination Contestant, not giving special
consideration to sitting MLAs or former MLAs;
in consultation with the PCNC, either accept or reject each Applicant, giving written reasons
for their decisions;
in consultation with the PCNC, set the dates, times and particulars of the Nomination Contest
and ensure the Members are notified and the information published on the Party website;
appoint a returning officer (RO) and deputy returning officer(s), if necessary, from outside the
constituency;
advise the CA board, and in particular, its CFO of the Chief Electoral Officer’s requirements
for opening a Nomination Contest, together with recommendations and other particulars
thereof.
IV Criteria for Commencing a Nomination Contest
A. Unless waived by the PCNC, CAs must meet the following minimum criteria prior to opening a
Nomination Contest:
Have at least fifty (50) Members;
Have at least three thousand dollars ($3,000) in their CA bank account(s);
Have formed a LCNC; and
Have developed and provided to the PCNC, a proposed budget for the Nomination Contest that
will cover its total costs; or
alternatively, the PCNC has agreed to manage the Constituency’s Nomination Contest and cover all, or
a mutually agreed portion of its costs; consequently references to LCNCs herein shall include, or apply
to the PCNC.
B. In the absence of a CA commencing a timely Nomination Contest, the PCNC may open, at the
Party’s expense, any Nomination Contest following consultation with the Regional Director’s
Committee and the CA’s associated Regional Council, and conduct it in accordance with these Rules.

V Application Process
A. To become a Nomination Contestant an Applicant must be a Provincial Member who:

is eligible to be a Candidate under Applicable Laws;
has delivered a completed Application within the stipulated time frame;
has been interviewed and accepted by the LCNC;
has not been a voting member of the Board, any CA board, or committees of either for a period
of at least three (3) months prior to the opening of the Nomination Contest, or alternatively, has
obtained a waiver for this requirement from the PCNC if sufficient grounds exist for such a
waiver. Any Applicant in the same Nomination Contest may appeal such a waiver to the
Arbitration Committee;
has provided the LCNC with the following documents:
i. a completed and signed nomination questionnaire in a format approved by the PCNC;
ii. a current criminal record check, and authorization for the LCNC and PCNC to conduct
their own searches;
iii. authorization for the Party to conduct a credit check;
iv. a completed and signed confidentiality agreement in a format approved by the PCNC;
v. a signed declaration in a format approved by the PCNC stating the Applicant agrees:
a. the LCNC has authority to disqualify a Nomination Contestant for any reason,
which disqualification may be appealed to the PCNC, whose decision shall be final
and binding;
b. to abide by the principles, objects, and policies of the Party;
c. to abide by the Party’s rules for Nomination Contestants’ use of membership and
voter information;
d. to abide by the Party’s rules for Nomination Contestants’ use of the Party logo and
endorsements;
e. to attend all training sessions provided for successful Nomination Contestants;
f. to read, obtain clarity as necessary, and abide by these Rules; and
g. to withdraw as a Candidate when required to do so by the CA board in accordance
with these Rules.
vi. has signed an undated, properly witnessed declaration of withdrawal as a Candidate to
be held by the CA board and used in conformity with these Rules.
has completed the following payments:
i. a five hundred ($500) fee that is non-refundable and not a contribution, to the CA in the
Constituency for which they seek the nomination; and
ii. a five hundred ($500) fee that is non-refundable and not a contribution, to the Party; and
iii. a one thousand ($1,000) good conduct bond in acceptable form payable to the Party that
will be returned, in whole or in part, at the discretion of the PCNC after consulting with
the LCNC;
iv. For greater clarity, a person may not be an Applicant simultaneously in more than one
constituency, but may become an Applicant in more than one constituency successively.
In such cases, the Applicant must pay the stipulated, non-refundable fees each time he
or she files an Application, but will pay the Party’s good conduct bond only once;
has never forfeited any portion of a refundable good conduct bond paid to the Party; neither is
the Applicant currently the subject of a good conduct review by the PCNC;
has submitted to the LCNC an original nomination petition in a format approved by the PCNC
and signed by at least twenty (20) Members;
has filed an application for registration as a Nomination Contestant under Applicable Laws.

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B. Any person who publicly declares themselves to be a Nomination Contestant shall have ten (10)
days from the date of such a declaration to complete their Application or they will become ineligible to
become an Applicant.
VI Nomination Contest Schedule
A. A Nomination Contest shall commence on the date of the Official Call of the Nomination Contest
and continue without interruption until the date fixed for the selection of the Candidate, which period
shall not be less than forty-five (45) days unless altered by agreement of the PCNC and affected CAs.
B. Nominations shall close at 5:00 PM on the fourteenth day following the Official Call, when
completed Applications must be delivered to the person or address specified in the Official Call. Late
Applications will not be considered by the LCNC, but may be appealed to the PCNC.
C. The Application and nomination petition need not be delivered together, but both must be delivered
prior to the close of nominations
D. The LCNC shall forward the relevant portions of the Application to the PCNC to review and assess
within three (3) days of receiving the Application.
E. The PCNC shall return the results of their assessment to the LCNC within three (3) working days,
together with a recommendation to accept or reject the Application.
F. The LCNC may interview Applicants in person or by phone, within fourteen (14) days of receiving
the Application.
G. When the LCNC approves an Applicant it shall immediately inform the PCNC of their decision.
The PCNC must confer with the LCNC within four (4) days if they object, otherwise the LCNC will
inform the Applicant that he or she is approved as a Nomination Contestant.
H. When the LCNC rejects an Applicant, they shall so inform the Applicant and the PCNC. The
Applicant shall then have three (3) days to appeal their rejection to the PCNC.
I. The LCNC shall notify the Members within three (3) days of their approval of a Nomination
Contestant.
J. Nomination Contestants shall be provided with the Constituency’s membership list, together with
PCNC approved rules governing its use.
K. The Nomination Contest schedule for any, or all Constituencies may be adjusted by the PCNC with
the approval of:

the Board if the adjustment affects five (5) or more Constituencies; otherwise
with the approval of the Regional Directors Committee and the LCNCs of the affected
constituencies.

VII Polling Stations and Voting
A. All Members with voting rights who were Members on the day of the Official Call, and whose
memberships have been continuous since are eligible to vote in a Nomination Contest.
B. All ballots shall be marked in secret under the oversight of the returning officer (RO) or deputy
returning officers, if any.
C. If a Nomination Contest results in a single Nomination Contestant, the Members may vote ‘Yes” or
‘No’ in a secret ballot vote expressing their approval or rejection of the Nomination Contestant as their
Candidate. The Nomination Contestant must gain majority approval of the Members to be endorsed as
their Candidate.
D. If a Nomination Contest produces more than one Nomination Contestant the LCNC shall conduct a
secret preferential vote by the means, and at the location(s), and time(s) published in the Official Call.
Ballots shall permit, but not require a Member to list Nomination Contestants in the order of the
Member’s preference.
E. If electronic voting used in whole or in part, the LCNC may use a third party recommended by the
PCNC, and shall bear the cost thereof.
F. Nomination Contestants shall be listed on the ballot in alphabetical order by last name.
G. The Chair of the LCNC shall not vote except to break a tie during a Nomination Contest.
H. Nomination Contestants may have scrutineers present to observe the credentialing of Members and
ballot counting. Scrutineers may not hinder or interfere with the conduct of the election, and may be
ejected from the polling station by the RO for cause.
I. No campaigning is permitted inside a polling station, or within one hundred and fifty (150) feet of its
entrance. Campaigning includes:

distributing campaign literature;
wearing or displaying anything intended, or likely to influence a Member’s vote;
indicating Nomination Contestant preferences verbally, in print or any other way;
any activity the Returning Officer deems to be campaigning.
J. Returning Officers shall have primary responsibility for the enforcement of rules at polling stations
and to:
preserve the integrity of the voting process and an accurate and impartial outcome including:
i. credentialing Members;
ii. securing the principle of one Member: one vote;
iii. credentialing and supervising scrutineers;
iv. supervise ballot counting;

communicate voting results to the Nomination Contestants and LCNC Chair;
retain possession and custody of the ballots and voter sign in sheets, and destroy them on
instructions from the LCNC;
K. The RO has discretion and authority to vary these rules in exceptional cases such as Members with
disabilities who require assistance to vote. No decision made by a RO in a polling station may be
challenged by a Nomination Contestant or their agents.
L. A Nomination Contestant may request a vote recount within twenty-four (24) hours of the time the
voting results are announced by the RO. Any recount shall be conducted by the RO under the
supervision of the LCNC, and recount results may not be further appealed unless the appellant has
evidence of voter fraud or other polling station misconduct, in which case an appeal may be made to
the Arbitration Committee whose decision shall be final and binding.