2017 New Democratic Party leadership election

2017 New Democratic Party leadership election
← 2012 October 1, 2017
Turnout52.8%[1]
 
Candidate Jagmeet Singh Charlie Angus
Popular vote 35,266 12,705
Percentage 53.83% 19.39%
 
Candidate Niki Ashton Guy Caron
Popular vote 11,374 6,164
Percentage 17.36% 9.41%
Leader before election

Thomas Mulcair

 Elected Leader

Jagmeet Singh

2017 New Democratic Party leadership election
DateOctober 1, 2017
ConventionMetropolitan Ball Room,
Westin Harbour Castle, Toronto
Resigning leaderTom Mulcair
Won byJagmeet Singh
Ballots1
Candidates4
Entrance Fee$30,000[2]
Spending limit$1.5 million[2]
New Democratic Party leadership elections
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The 2017 New Democratic Party leadership election was won by Jagmeet Singh. The election was triggered by Tom Mulcair having lost a vote on leadership review at the party's federal convention held in Edmonton, Alberta, on April 10, 2016, which resulted in a majority of delegates voting in favor of holding a new leadership election.[2] Mulcair declined to partake in the subsequent leadership election and stated that he would remain leader until the party chose a replacement.[3]

Four candidates were on the leadership ballot: Charlie Angus, Niki Ashton, Guy Caron, and Jagmeet Singh. The voting process occurred on Sunday, October 1, 2017. Every party member was entitled to cast a secret vote using a preferential ranked ballot and exhaustive voting for the leadership election, allowing each member to choose one format or the other for their vote.[4] Had no candidate received a majority during the first round of voting, subsequent rounds, occurring once a week, would have taken place until October 15, 2017, or until a candidate received a majority of votes.[5][6][7]

Singh, the only non-MP in the race, formally announced his candidacy for the leadership on May 15, 2017. Singh received the support of 11 MPs, the most of any candidate, including former leadership candidates Nathan Cullen[8] and Peter Julian,[9] in addition to the support of major labour unions such as the United Food and Commercial Workers. Media attention surrounding his campaign noted the fact that, if elected, Singh would be the first visible minority person to lead a major federal party, as well as the first of the Sikh faith.[10][11]

Singh was elected in the first round, with 53.8% of the votes, thus rendering the need for subsequent rounds of voting unnecessary. Following his election as Leader, Singh appointed former leadership rival Guy Caron to serve as the New Democratic Party's Parliamentary Leader.[12]

  1. ^ Forrest, Maura (October 1, 2017). "A 'game-changer': Jagmeet Singh 'kicks the door open' and wins NDP leadership". The National Post. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Milewski, Terry (May 15, 2016). "NDP sets leadership convention for fall of 2017". cbc.ca. CBC News. Archived from the original on June 10, 2016. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
  3. ^ "Rejecting Mulcair, NDP delegates vote in favour of new leadership race". CBC News. April 10, 2016. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  4. ^ "Constitution of the New Democratic Party of Canada" (PDF). NDP. April 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 6, 2016. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
  5. ^ "Leadership Rules 2017" (PDF). New Democratic Party of Canada. June 22, 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 2, 2016. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
  6. ^ Smith, Marie-Danielle (June 14, 2016). "NDP sets rules for leadership race: Candidates need 500 signatures from party members across Canada". National Post. Archived from the original on June 14, 2016. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  7. ^ "NDP may forgo leadership convention for new approach". theglobeandmail.com. The Globe and Mail. June 14, 2016. Archived from the original on June 15, 2016. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  8. ^ "Nathan Cullen endorses Jagmeet Singh for federal NDP leadership". CBC News. September 20, 2017. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  9. ^ Forrest, Maura. "Former candidate Peter Julian endorses Jagmeet Singh's NDP leadership bid". Ottawa Citizen. Archived from the original on September 8, 2017. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
  10. ^ Zimonjic, Peter (October 1, 2017). "Meet Jagmeet Singh: New leader of federal NDP". CBC News. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  11. ^ Austen, Ian (October 1, 2017). "Sikh Becomes Canada's First Nonwhite Political Party Leader". The New York Times. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  12. ^ Politics, Canadian (February 12, 2017). "NDP's Guy Caron gives up shadow cabinet role to consider leadership bid". National Post. Retrieved July 8, 2017.