2012 New Democratic Party leadership election

2012 New Democratic Party leadership election
← 2003 March 24, 2012 2017 →
Turnout50.9%
 
Candidate Tom Mulcair Brian Topp Nathan Cullen
Fourth ballot 33,881
(57.2%) 		25,329
(42.8%) 		Eliminated
Third ballot 27,488
(43.8%) 		19,822
(31.6%) 		15,426
(24.6%)
Second ballot 23,902
(38.3%) 		15,624
(25.0%) 		12,449
(19.9%)
First ballot 19,728
(30.3%) 		13,915
(21.4%) 		10,671
(16.4%)
 
Candidate Peggy Nash Paul Dewar Martin Singh
Fourth ballot Eliminated Withdrew Withdrew
Third ballot Eliminated Withdrew Withdrew
Second ballot 10,519
(16.8%) 		Withdrew Withdrew
First ballot 8,353
(12.8%) 		4,883
(7.5%) 		3,821
(5.9%)
 
Candidate Niki Ashton
Fourth ballot Eliminated
Third ballot Eliminated
Second ballot Eliminated
First ballot 3,737
(5.7%)
Leader before election

Nycole Turmel (interim)

 Elected Leader

Thomas Mulcair

2012 New Democratic Party leadership election
DateMarch 24, 2012
ConventionMetro Toronto Convention Centre
Toronto, Ontario
Resigning leaderJack Layton (deceased)
Won byThomas Mulcair
Ballots4
Candidates8
Entrance Fee$15,000
Spending limit$500,000
New Democratic Party leadership elections
1961 · 1971 · 1975 · 1989 · 1995 · 2003 · 2012 · 2017
A leadership election was held to replace Jack Layton who died in Toronto on August 22, 2011

The 2012 New Democratic Party leadership election (NDP), was held March 24, 2012, to elect a permanent successor to Jack Layton, who had died the previous summer.

The New Democratic Party's executive and caucus set the rules for the campaign at a series of meetings in September 2011. The election took place in Toronto and on the Internet. At the Leadership Convention, held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Tom Mulcair was declared to be the new leader of the party. The convention was to be held at Exhibition Place's Allstream Centre, but it was moved to the larger venue due to a greater than expected number of delegates registering for the event.[1]

The vote was open to all NDP members in a combination of exhaustive ballot and instant-runoff voting with one member, one vote (OMOV); each member voted by preferential ballot in advance, or with a single ballot for each round on the day of the election. The entrance fee was set at $15,000 and each candidate's spending limit was capped at $500,000.

Mulcair was the NDP's seventh leader elected since its founding in 1961. Because the NDP was the Official Opposition in the 41st Canadian Parliament, he also assumed the position of Leader of the Official Opposition in the House of Commons of Canada.

  1. ^ Canadian Press (February 9, 2012). "NDP Convention: Record Turnout Prompts Venue Change To Metro Toronto Convention Centre". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on February 11, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2012.