OTTAWA - Interim Conservative party leader Rona Ambrose won't be casting a ballot in the election to choose her successor.

Ambrose tells The Canadian Press that she feels casting a vote -- even a secret one -- would compromise her neutrality in the race.

Conservative party members are in the midst of choosing their next leader and the results will be announced May 27.

Ambrose says her chief piece of advice to whomever wins will be to focus on keeping the party together.

The longtime Conservative MP announced this week she'll resign her seat come summer before transitioning into life in the private sector.

Among other things, she plans to write a children's book for young girls and will be working on U.S.-Canada relations as a visiting fellow with a think tank based in Washington, D.C.