Elections Alberta issued 568 cease-and-desist letters after a massive voter data leak tied to the Centurion Project.
Elections Alberta Cracks Down After Massive Voter Data Leak
Elections Alberta has sent 568 cease-and-desist letters after a major voter information leak linked to the separatist group known as the Centurion Project.
The move follows growing concern over a public online database that exposed the personal details of nearly three million Alberta voters.
Officials confirmed the letters were issued Wednesday night by Alberta’s chief electoral officer, Gordon McClure. The warning notices went to 23 people who allegedly received the voter list directly from Centurion. Another 545 people were contacted after investigators found they had accessed the database online.
Some Recipients Ordered to Respond Within 48 Hours
Elections Alberta said the 23 people who received the voter list must now sign a declaration confirming they followed the order to stop using or sharing the data.
They have only 48 hours to comply.
The agency described the letters as a formal demand to stop activity believed to violate Alberta election laws.
Court Battle Set for Summer Hearing
At the same time, Elections Alberta is preparing for a larger legal fight.
The agency plans to seek a permanent injunction against both the Centurion Project and the Republican Party of Alberta during a special hearing in Alberta’s Court of King’s Bench later this summer.
During a short hearing in Edmonton on Thursday, lawyer Joseph Redman told the court that all parties need more time to prepare evidence and legal arguments. Justice Thomas Rothwell approved the delay and scheduled the matter for late July.
Lawyers representing Centurion and the Republican Party did not attend the hearing.
Database Exposed Millions of Voters
The controversy began after Centurion launched a searchable website containing voter information from across Alberta.
The database reportedly included names, home addresses, and voter registration details for almost three million people.
A temporary court injunction ordered the website removed last week. The ruling also forced Centurion officials to provide the names of everyone who accessed the information.
In addition, the injunction blocked the Republican Party from sharing voter lists with unauthorized users.
“Salted” Names Helped Track the Leak
Investigators believe the information came from an official voter list legally obtained by the Republican Party of Alberta.
Elections Alberta uses a tracing method called “salted names” to detect leaks. The lists contain fake names placed throughout the database so officials can identify where unauthorized sharing happens.
Political parties and elected officials may receive voter lists for election purposes. However, the law bans them from sharing the information with outside groups.
Officials still do not know exactly how the data ended up in Centurion’s hands.
RCMP and Privacy Commissioner Continue Investigations
Several investigations remain underway.
Both Elections Alberta and the Alberta RCMP continue to examine the breach. Meanwhile, Alberta Information and Privacy Commissioner Diane McLeod is reviewing the case.
However, McLeod has warned that Alberta privacy laws may not fully apply to political parties. That gap has raised fresh calls for stronger legislation to protect voter information.
Centurion Leader Defends Database
The database has now been removed.
Centurion Project leader David Parker said the group plans to co-operate with investigators. He also defended the database, comparing it to a phone book.
According to Parker, volunteers used the tool to search for friends and acquaintances while looking for political support.
Still, critics argue the exposure created serious privacy and safety risks for Albertans.
Political Pressure Continues to Grow
The fallout continues to spread across Alberta politics.
The United Conservative Party confirmed that some caucus staff attended an online Centurion meeting last month. Staff members reportedly believed the voter data shown during the presentation had been obtained legally.
Premier Danielle Smith said she first learned about the breach through media coverage. She also said she only became aware of the Centurion meeting after the Alberta NDP raised questions publicly.
Smith has since called for everyone responsible to be “held accountable under the law.”
