Alberta conservative leadership candidates must pay $75K

Candidates in Alberta's conservative leadership race are being told they must pony up $75,000 to run.

That's the price set by the new United Conservative Party ahead of the Oct. 28 leadership vote.

• Alberta's new United Conservative Party is a go. What happens next?

Organizers for candidate Brian Jean have confirmed the number and say $25,000 is refundable as long as the entrant does not engage in conduct deemed detrimental to the party.

The money is to be paid in two instalments.

The UCP was formed last month after the Wildrose and Progressive Conservative parties agreed to merge.

• Alberta's Wildrose, PCs agree to create new United Conservative Party

Jean is former leader of the Wildrose.

Other entrants are former PC leader Jason Kenney, former Wildrose president Jeff Callaway and longtime conservative strategist Doug Schweitzer.

Schweitzer and Jean have paid a non-refundable $10,000 deposit to get access to the United Conservative Party's 87,000 members.

Janice Harrington, the party's interim executive director, says the money will be put toward the candidates' entry fees.

A new leader is to be picked Oct. 28, and Harrington says a committee is finalizing details and timelines.

• What the Wildrose-PC merger vote means for Alberta politics
• Elections Alberta says merger between PC and Wildrose won't be easy