B.C.’s Green party is scrambling to verify whether thousands of new members who signed up to vote in its leadership race are actually real people, with at least one candidate warning the process is so cumbersome it could suppress voter participation.

Emily Lowan, the 24-year-old climate justice activist running for the party’s top job, said the complexity of the new verification system could leave some members unable to cast ballots. Her campaign said it has identified at least a dozen new supporters who never received an email from the party to start the authentication process.

“We are hearing from new members across the province—from students to seniors—that the current verification system is presenting significant challenges,” Lowan said.

“Members report technical issues, a lack of notification and delays in support.”

So far, the BC Green party has verified only 20 per cent of new members. It has urged people to become verified by Sept. 13, when voting opens. The party’s new leader is announced Sept. 24.

“Elections are about giving people a voice, and without change to this process, I'm concerned that many voters will be silenced,” said Lowan.

The Green party is using a combination of online tools, video conferencing and vouching to try and authenticate whether as many as 4,500 people who signed up since Aug. 18, 2024 are eligible to vote. It is not requiring........

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