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NDP Leadership Selection Process

This section examines the various rules and procedures in the NDP leadership election process. Specific topics include:

• Who can vote
• Voting format
• Ballot system
• How to vote
• Important Links

Who Can Vote

Every member of the party, in good standing 45 days before voting day, is entitled to vote in the leadership convention.

Voting Format

The leadership selection process runs according to a One-Member-One-Vote plus Labour format (OMOV + labour). This format has two basic guiding principles:

• “One-member-one-vote” principle – Each party member has a vote in the leadership selection. This differs from a “delegate” selection process in which party members elect a delegate from their constituency to represent them (and vote for them) at the leadership convention. This one-member-one-vote principle provides for direct participation by each party member in the selection of the leader.
• “Plus-labour” principle – Labour unions are guaranteed 25 percent of the vote. Unions elect representative delegates to attend the convention and vote for their union members. This plus-labour principle is rooted in the NDP’s traditional ties to organized labour and unions. See below for additional information on the labour and affiliate vote.

Ballot System

The leadership election process proceeds through a ballot system. Members vote from a list of candidates supplied on a ballot. If no candidate receives enough votes on the first ballot to be declared leader, then consecutive ballots are held. On each consecutive ballot, the weakest candidates are eliminated. Any candidate receiving less than one percent (1%) of the vote and the candidate receiving the lowest percentage of votes on the previous ballot are dropped from the next ballot. Consecutive ballots are held until one candidate receives enough votes to be declared leader.

How to Vote

Party members voted in one of three ways:

• Vote by Mail – Members mailed in their vote. These mail votes are counted at the same time as regular ballots. Therefore, no one will have any advance knowledge of the results before the voting takes place on the floor.
• Internet Vote – Members voted online, in real time on Convention day through the NDP website.
• Vote at Convention – Members also voted in person at the Convention using the traditional “drop down” balloting practice. A member will mark for only one of the candidates. If a second round of voting takes place, a member votes again for the candidate of her/his choice, and so on.

Important Links

NDP Official Website
2003 NDP Leadership Campaign Rules
NDP Release on One-Member-One-Vote System
NDP Constitution
Mapleleafweb Feature on the NDP Leadership Race

Next >>
Results – 2003 NDP Leadership Race

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This page was last modified: August 10, 2007