More than 500 individuals in Alberta have received cease-and-desist notifications for accessing a database containing personal information of millions of voters in the province. Following this, a new investigation has been initiated into the matter.
Alberta’s information and privacy commissioner, Diane McLeod, announced her decision to investigate the allegations surrounding the Centurion Project Ltd.’s collection, use, and disclosure of personal data from the Alberta List of Electors. This comes in addition to ongoing investigations by Elections Alberta and the RCMP.
The Centurion Project, a separatist group registered as a third-party advertiser in Alberta, developed a website with a searchable database containing names, addresses, and voter registration details of nearly three million individuals. Cease-and-desist letters were issued by Elections Alberta to 23 individuals who received the voters list from the Centurion Project and 545 others who accessed the list.
Elections Alberta recently obtained a temporary injunction against the Centurion Project and the Republican Party of Alberta for unauthorized use of the electoral list. The agency verified that the database originated from an official voter list acquired by the Republican Party of Alberta. Each electoral list includes fictitious names for tracking purposes and is exclusive to political entities and elected officials.
An investigation will focus on the handling of personal information by the Centurion Project, including data protection measures and compliance with legal obligations. McLeod clarified her authority to investigate under PIPA, emphasizing independence from government influence.
Legal proceedings are set to resume in late July as Elections Alberta seeks a permanent injunction against the Centurion Project and the Republican Party of Alberta. The temporary injunction mandates disclosure of database access details and prohibits unauthorized sharing of electoral lists.
The Centurion Project has taken down the database and pledged cooperation with Elections Alberta’s inquiry. The group defended the database as a tool for volunteer training and political engagement. Concerns over data privacy breaches have led to calls for enhanced legislation and a public inquiry regarding voter list security.