A man who worked as a poll observer told CBC News he was shocked by the behaviour of a Calgary returning officer and his poll clerks during the 2004 election.
Naheed Nenshi worked as a scrutineer for the Alberta Liberals in the last provincial election, watching the vote proceed in Calgary-McCall.
Naheed Nenshi, who worked as a scrutineer for the Alberta Liberals in the last provincial election, said he witnessed partisan comments at a polling station.
(CBC)
"The returning officer and the poll clerks were not only chummy with one another — they were sons and daughters and nieces and nephews all together — but they were also pretty chummy with the local Conservative MLA," Nenshi said.
The incumbent Shiraz Shariff also dropped by with doughnuts for poll workers during the vote, he said.
'That just doesn't look right'
After the polls closed, Nenshi said he watched as the workers counted ballots and heard them make partisan comments when it was clear the Liberal candidate won the poll.
"The poll clerks who were doing the counting were actually visibly upset that their friend, the MLA, wasn't doing well and were saying things like, 'Oh, don't worry, he'll pick it up in other polls, it won't be a problem' and so on," Nenshi said.
"And I just thought to myself, you know while these guys are doing their job and I don't have any concerns with the outcome of the election, that just doesn't look right."
Nenshi said he didn't complain at the time because he didn't know if the behaviour was normal at a poll.
"It would be quite unusual for people to be openly partisan if they are employed by Elections Alberta or any other elections authority," said University of Calgary political scientist Lisa Young.
Not illegal for candidates to visit polls
Teresa Atterbury, spokeswoman for Elections Alberta, said the comments are unacceptable behaviour in a polling place when election workers have taken an oath to act impartially.
"If it had been brought to our attention, we would have spoken to them about it and told them not to do it," she said.
While candidates are legally allowed to visit polls in their riding, Atterbury said it's not encouraged.
As CBC News first reported last week, several returning officers, who are responsible for hiring and training poll workers as well as counting votes, have connections to the Conservative party.
The positions are appointed by the government, and the Liberals and NDP have called for that power to be transferred to the chief electoral officer to ensure impartiality in elections.
The same PC and Liberal candidates from the 2004 race in Calgary-McCall are running again in the March 3 vote, which will be administered by the same returning officer.
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