2003 New Democratic Party leadership election

2003 New Democratic Party leadership election

← 1995 January 25, 2003 2012 →
 
Candidate Jack Layton Bill Blaikie
Member votes 22,453
(51.44%)
10,914
(25.00%)
Labour votes 572
(59.77%)
227
(23.72%)
Weighted votes 31,149.95
(53.52%)
14,365.41
(24.68%)

 
Candidate Lorne Nystrom Joe Comartin
Member votes 4,865
(11.14%)
3,289
(7.53%)
Labour votes 35
(3.66%)
79
(8.25%)
Weighted votes 5,397.16
(9.27%)
4,490.15
(7.71%)

Leader before election

Alexa McDonough

Elected Leader

Jack Layton

2003 New Democratic Party leadership election
DateJanuary 24, 2003
ConventionRicoh Coliseum,
Exhibition Place
Toronto, Ontario
Resigning leaderAlexa McDonough
Won byJack Layton
Ballots1
Candidates6
Entrance Fee$7,500
Spending limit$500,000
New Democratic Party leadership elections
1961 · 1971 · 1975 · 1989 · 1995 · 2003 · 2012 · 2017

The 2003 New Democratic Party leadership election was a leadership election held in Canada to replace New Democratic Party leader Alexa McDonough, after her retirement. It ended on January 25, 2003, with the first ballot victory of popular Toronto city councillor Jack Layton.

The election was the first to be conducted under the NDP's new partial one member, one vote system, in which the popular vote of the members is weighted for 75% of the result. The rest are votes cast by delegates for affiliated organizations, mainly labour unions. It was also the first Canadian leadership convention to allow Internet voting; delegates who chose to vote electronically were given a password to a secure website to register their votes.

The race was heated, with the leaders campaigning to NDP audiences across Canada. One of the most notable events of the campaign occurred at the convention in Toronto, the day before the election, when candidate Pierre Ducasse made a stirring speech.[1] Ducasse's speech attracted widespread praise,[2][3] although its late delivery was unable to sway the postal and internet votes which had already been cast.

  1. ^ "Imagination | Solutions". Pierreducasse.ca. January 25, 2003. Archived from the original on February 4, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  2. ^ dru in canada (January 25, 2003). "NDP Leadership". misnomer. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  3. ^ "Canada Election 2004 Voter Guide: Political Parties - New Democratic Party (NDP)". Mondopolitico.com. Retrieved February 9, 2012.