The Liberal Party says the 1,000 people deemed ineligible to vote in the Liberal leadership campaign can appeal.

Past President and member of the Liberal Leadership Election Committee, Judy Morrow addressed concerns raised about the party’s vetting process yesterday.

Morrow says eligibility for participation in the internal party process is outlined in the party’s constitution.

It requires a full name, address, provincial district, date of birth, email or phone number, and support of the aims and objectives of the Liberal Party.

Those who answered “no” to supporting the aims and objectives of the Liberal Party were deemed ineligible as were those who indicated they would vote for a party other than the Liberals in the next election.

She says those who said they supported any other party were deemed ineligible, while those who indicated they were undecided or supported the Liberal Party were eligible.

Over 35,500 people have registered to vote in the leadership contest according to Morrow, even more than in 2013 when there were five candidates in place.

Morrow meanwhile is dismissing suggestions that the vetting process was about identifying candidate support.

Morrow says there was no way to know through that process who was supporting who.

She says after the June 28th deadline, all lists, including those who signed up through the website and each of the candidates, were merged before the vetting process even started. She says she, and the research company had no way of knowing who signed people up and who they did or didn’t support.