The Surrey RCMP has sent the results of its investigation into alleged election fraud prior to the October civic election to Crown counsel.
“Allegations such as these are rare, but important to investigate to ensure the integrity of our democratic process,” said Assistant Commissioner Dwayne McDonald, in charge of the Surrey RCMP.
This follows a nearly seven-month police investigation into alleged widespread election fraud in this city leading up to the Oct. 20, 2018 civic election.
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Three weeks before the election, the Surrey anti-gang grassroots organization Wake Up Surrey lodged a complaint with the RCMP on Sept. 28 alleging vote buying involving the city’s South Asian community, misuse of absentee ballots and a scheme to solicit registered voters to fill out mail-in voting forms with a total target of 15,000 eligible voters.
Roughly a week before the election, the RCMP said 67 of 73 applications to vote by mail that police had examined were fraudulent, investigators had interviewed two “persons of interest” and were trying to determine if criminal charges, or charges under the Local Government Act, are warranted.
Investigators at that time had not found evidence of fraud linked to any political candidate or slate.
Meantime, Surrey RCMP Sergeant Chad Greig declined to discuss any details of the report sent to the Crown.
“It’s in the hands of the prosecution service now,” he said. “As the report’s before them, we can’t speak any further about the investigation as they’re now holding the reports.
“That’s just the way it is.”
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tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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