Elections Alberta Says 'Spoof' Website's Voter Info Is All Fake

Elections Alberta is actively working to combat a deceptive "spoof" website that is impersonating the official agency and disseminating fabricated voter data. The fake site, operating under the URL electionsab.ca, closely mimics the legitimate Elections Alberta website, elections.ab.ca.

According to a news release from the agency, the names, addresses, phone numbers, and elector ID numbers displayed on the spoof site are entirely fictitious. Officials believe this disinformation campaign is intended to undermine public confidence in Elections Alberta and the integrity of electoral events. This tactic appears to capitalize on public anxiety stemming from a recent data leak incident.

Earlier this year, Elections Alberta announced an investigation into a separatist group called the Centurion Project. This group allegedly published an app that made publicly accessible the names and addresses of 2.9 million registered voters. While Elections Alberta's Chief Electoral Officer, Gordon McClure, stated that his office does not possess the legislative authority or jurisdiction to directly investigate the spoof website, he confirmed that appropriate enforcement and cybersecurity agencies have been contacted to facilitate its removal.

McClure emphasized that the names on the fake site seem to be recycled, with variations like "Corey Lahey" followed by "Randy Corey and Lahey Trevor." Phone numbers listed use Alberta area codes but consistently begin with 555. Voter lists are strictly distributed by Elections Alberta only to elected officials, political parties, and party officials, with legal restrictions on their use for soliciting donations, recruiting members, and communicating with electors. McClure noted that the province's new deepfake provisions do not cover the type of disinformation present on the spoof site. Elections Alberta urges anyone encountering similar online activity or questioning information veracity to contact the agency.

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I believe this disinformation activity is intended to ‘spoof’ Elections Alberta and is an attempt to reduce public confidence in my office and electoral events in Alberta.