EDMONTON – Alberta’s Chief Electoral Officer says he doesn’t want to be reappointed when his term expires next month.
Fjeldheim announced in a news release Wednesday that he advised the Standing Committee on Legislative Offices of his decision. His current term at the helm of Elections Alberta expires on April 23.
Fjeldheim, a former Vegreville town councillor, was appointed to his second go-round in the job in February 2010. He previously held the post from October 1998 to November 2005.
“I feel very extremely privileged, honoured and thankful to have been appointed twice to serve Albertans in the very important role of chief electoral officer,” Fjeldheim said in the statement.
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Fjeldheim thanks his staff for their loyalty and support during what he calls a “very challenging time.”
Fjeldheim’s office has been investigating allegations of illegal campaign donations to the governing Progressive Conservatives.
At the end of January, he released a report that said there were 45 cases of illegal contributions to the party — totalling just over $20,000 — between 2010 and 2011.
Two days later, a leak to the media said the party planned to keep another $40,000 in illegal campaign donations to help fight the next election — even though Fjeldheim had ordered the PCs to pay the money back.
Fjeldheim has also been reviewing a donation of $430,000 made to the party last year by Edmonton Oilers owner Daryl Katz, his family and associates.
Questions have been raised about whether the donations worth hundreds of thousands of dollars from Daryl Katz, his family and employees complied with Elections Alberta’s standards.
Alberta’s campaign finance rules limit donations to political parties to a maximum of $30,000 per person during an election year. But opposition parties have said they believe a single cheque went from Katz to the PCs.
With files from the Edmonton Journal
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