The so-called Longest Ballot Committee is attempting to get 200 candidates to run in the by-election in Battle-River Crowfoot. While this isn't technically illegal as already discussed and likely didn't impact the outcome of the election, it still stinks of some sort of interference - particularly because they're now targeting Poilievre and the Conservatives again.
Nothing in my research suggests that adding superfluous candidates to an election (or by-election) ballot counts as interference. The Guide for Candidates states that "a person does not have to be ordinarily resident in an electoral division in order to be a candidate in that electoral division".[1] This ruling is what allows Poilievre to run in Alberta in the first place; however, it also allows anyone in Canada to run wherever they choose. You can see the problem. Members of the Longest Ballot Committee across Canada can flock to ridings of their choosing to “protest”.
However, there is a bit of a caveat. All potential candidates
must get the names, addresses, and signatures of 100 (or more) people who are “qualified
electors” and live in the appropriate electoral district. [2]
The riding of Battle-River Crowfoot has
81,123 eligible voters, many of whom have previously voted Conservative.[3]
It may be difficult for 200+ candidates
to obtain the required number of signatures. Granted, they would only need
about 2,000 total but that is still a sizable amount in a Conservative
stronghold. Somewhat surprisingly, Poilievre’s former riding of Carleton only
has 71,947 eligible voters. I expected it to have more than the Alberta riding.
Still, I would assume given how the
votes played out that Carlton had more political active (or disruptive) people
who would support Longest Ballot Committee candidates. It remains to be seen how
it will play out in Alberta.
[1] https://www.elections.ab.ca/uploads/204-Guide-for-Candidates-on-the-Election-Act.pdf pg 7.
See also: https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=pol&dir=can/bck&document=p2&lang=e
[2] Elections.ca Becoming a Candidate. Step 4.4. https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=pol&dir=can/bck&document=p5&lang=e#h12
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_River%E2%80%94Crowfoot
For an interesting read on modern election interference see The Conversation
https://theconversation.com/thanks-to-social-media-platforms-election-interference-is-more-insidious-and-pervasive-than-ever-251764
