As Progressive Conservative leader Doug Ford appears to be cruising towards his third straight electoral victory, his campaign staff are being warned not to abandon their posts on election day at the risk of facing party and candidate blowback, Global News has learned.
Political parties typically pour a tremendous amount of resources and effort into get out the vote campaigns on election day, ensuring identified supporters have cast a ballot, helping voters get to the polls and deploying volunteers in targeted ridings parties are hoping to flip or hold.
On Wednesday, Kory Teneycke, PC party campaign manager, sent an “election day directive” to campaign staff and volunteers urging them to put “party above self-interest” and to remain committed to the ridings they have been assigned to.
“Unfortunately, it has come to my attention that some of you are planning on leaving the campaigns you have been assigned to, to travel to another riding or to go home early,” Teneycke said in the email obtained by Global News. “Frankly, this is unacceptable.”
The email stressed that the directive applies to everyone working for the Progressive Conservative team and they would be “mistaken” to think that any “excuse as to why you would abandon a local campaign” would be accepted.
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Teneycke warned the party will conduct “spot checks” to ensure “everyone is following this directive” and suggested those who leave early could face consequences that weren’t clearly spelled out.
“To anyone who does not follow this direction, your Candidate will be receiving a call to inform them that you have chosen to blatantly ignore the direction of the central campaign team and your actions could cost their colleagues votes,” the email stated.
In a second email sent to candidates and local campaign managers Teneycke warned that “breaking this directive is a distraction and complete waste of everyone’s time.”
“Please do not put your staff in the uncomfortable position of receiving calls from the central campaign enforcing this directive.”
The email comes after an all-candidate call this week in which Teneycke congratulated members for running a “textbook campaign,” one that was disciplined and avoided damaging missteps.
Sources told Global News Teneycke highlighted the party’s framing of the election as a major driver of “record-level” support, but added that resources would be redeployed for any candidate who needed help.
Teneycke also thanked candidates for avoiding media interviews after being asked by the party not to participate and that the Progressive Conservatives had yet to lose a single candidate due to scandals or bad interviews.
On Wednesday, as Ford campaigned in Windsor, the PC leader swatted away a question posed to a local candidate about why he avoided participating in election debates.
“Hold on, that’s an unfair question,” Ford interjected. “I’m the leader of the party. I would rather our candidates go door knocking.”
“I’m the one who makes that decision,” Ford stated.