One of two people running to become Manitoba’s next Progressive Conservative leader and premier says this weekend’s vote count should be delayed.
Shelly Glover says she believes thousands of party members may be unable to vote because they have not received ballots that are supposed to be filled out and submitted by Friday afternoon.
The Tories are to announce a winner – either Glover or former health minister Heather Stefanson – on Saturday, to replace Brian Pallister who retired last month.
Party officials had planned to mail ballots to all members in early October, and have them resubmitted by mail or, at a few locations, in-person.
The party says some of the 25,000 ballots mailed out were returned as undeliverable, but would not say how many.
The party says it has been working on solutions, such as setting up locations around the province where people can pick up ballots and fill them out.
Glover, a former federal Conservative cabinet minister, said many party members were still calling her campaign team, confused about how they might be able to vote.
“The process is completely flawed ... and now we’re two days before the end,” Glover said Thursday.
“For some [members], it’s the second or third call that we’ve had, trying to help them get ballots.”
Even the party’s locations to pick up or drop off ballots is flawed, Glover said, because it does not include large areas of northern or eastern Manitoba. That requires some people to drive for hours, she said.
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