Investigation Process

The Election Commissioner conducts an analysis of each complaint to determine whether the complaint falls within the Election Commissioner’s jurisdiction and, if it does, to determine whether there are reasonable grounds to initiate an investigation.

Any person or entity who is the subject of an investigation is notified of the substance of the allegations against them.

Once approved by the Election Commissioner, investigations  are conducted by Elections Alberta’s Compliance and Enforcement team. To ensure investigations are completed in a thorough and timely manner, the Commissioner engages investigators and/or external experts as required. The Election Commissioner and those authorized to conduct investigations on the Election Commissioner’s behalf are empowered by the legislation to collect evidence, interview witnesses, and request documents.

At the conclusion of an investigation, a report setting out the evidence gathered during the investigation is presented to the Election Commissioner. The Election Commissioner reviews the report and all the evidence collected and makes a finding and decision for an appropriate outcome.

In the case of a potential adverse finding, the Election Commissioner ensures each individual or entity subject to the investigation is notified in writing of the investigative results and provided a reasonable opportunity to respond. The Election Commissioner cannot issue an adverse finding against any person or organization unless these requirements have been met.

The possible investigation outcomes are outlined under Potential Complaint Outcomes.