LIBERAL PARTY OF CANADA LEADERSHIP CONVENTIONS

The first three leaders of the Liberal Party of Canada were not chosen at a leadership convention. Alexander Mackenzie (March 1873 – April 1880) and Edward Blake (May 1880 – June 1887) were chosen by the party caucus. Wilfrid Laurier (June 1887 – February 1919) was also chosen by caucus members with the party convention of 1893 ratifying his leadership. The most recent leadership convention was held in 2006.
The first 'Liberal leadership convention' was held on August 7, 1919. Balloting continued until one candidate won a majority of votes. After the 1919 convention, a system was adopted where the candidate with the least number of votes on a given ballot is automatically dropped. More recently, any candidate with less than 5% of the vote on the first ballot is also automatically dropped. Since 1919, time has also been given between ballots for candidates to announce if they wish to withdraw and throw their support to another candidate.

Contents

1919 leadership convention results

1948 leadership convention results

1958 leadership convention results

1968 leadership convention results

1984 leadership convention results

1990 leadership convention results

2003 leadership convention results

2006 leadership convention

1919 leadership convention results

The 1919 leadership convention was held in Ottawa, Ontario on August 7, 1919.
'First ballot'

KING, William Lyon Mackenzie 344

FIELDING, William Stevens 297

GRAHAM, George Perry 153

MCKENZIE, Daniel Duncan 153

''Total votes cast 947''
'Second ballot'

KING, William Lyon Mackenzie 411

FIELDING, William Stevens 344

GRAHAM, George Perry 124

MCKENZIE, Daniel Duncan 60

''Total votes cast 939''
Graham withdrew while voting for the third ballot was underway. McKenzie withdrew while voting for the fourth ballot was in process. Votes were not counted, and the convention proceeded directly to the fifth ballot.
'Fifth ballot'

'KING, William Lyon Mackenzie 476'

FIELDING, William Stevens 438

''Total votes cast 914''

1948 leadership convention results

The 1948 leadership convention was held in Ottawa on August 7, 1948.
'First ballot'

'ST. LAURENT, Louis Stephen 848'

GARDINER, James Garfield 323

POWER, Charles Gavan 56

''Total votes cast 1,227''

1958 leadership convention results

The 1958 leadership convention was held in Ottawa on January 16, 1958.
'First ballot'

'PEARSON, Lester Bowles 1,074'

MARTIN, Paul Joseph James 305

HENDERSON, Harold Lloyd 1

''Total votes cast 1,380''

1968 leadership convention results

The 1968 leadership convention was held in Ottawa Civic Centre in Ottawa, Ontario on April 6, 1968.
'First ballot'

TRUDEAU, Pierre Elliott 752

HELLYER, Paul Theodore 330

WINTERS, Robert Henry 293

MARTIN, Paul Joseph James277

TURNER, John Napier 277

GREENE, John James 169

MACEACHEN, Allan Joseph 163

KIERANS, Eric William 103

HENDERSON, Harold Lloyd 0

Spoiled ballots 24

''Total votes cast 2,390''
Henderson eliminated, he was not himself a registered delegate, although his wife was.

Kierans and Martin withdrew, neither endorse another candidate.
'Second ballot'

TRUDEAU, Pierre Elliott 964

WINTERS, Robert Henry 473

HELLYER, Paul Theodore 465

TURNER, John Napier 347

GREENE, John James 104

MACEACHEN, Allan Joseph 11

Spoiled ballots 15

''Total votes cast 2,379''
MacEachen announced after the first ballot that he was withdrawing and would support Trudeau, but he missed the deadline to remove his name from the ballot.
'Third ballot'

TRUDEAU, Pierre Elliott 1,051

WINTERS, Robert Henry 621

HELLYER, Paul Theodore 377

TURNER, John Napier 279

GREENE, John James 29

Spoiled ballots 19

''Total votes cast 2376''
Greene eliminated, endorsed Trudeau; Hellyer withdrew, endorsed Winters.
'Fourth ballot'

'TRUDEAU, Pierre Elliott 1,203'

WINTERS, Robert Henry 954

TURNER, John Napier 195

Spoiled ballots 13

''Total votes cast 2,365''

1984 leadership convention results

The 1984 leadership convention was held in Ottawa on June 16, 1984.
'First ballot'

TURNER, John Napier 1,593 (46%)

CHRÉTIEN, Joseph Jacques Jean 1,067 (31%)

JOHNSTON, Donald James 278 (8%)

ROBERTS, John (Moody) 185

MACGUIGAN, Mark R. 135

MUNRO, John Carr 93

WHELAN, Eugene Francis 84

Spoiled ballots 2

''Total votes cast 3,437''
'Second ballot'

'TURNER, John Napier 1,862' (54%)

CHRÉTIEN, Joseph Jacques Jean 1,398 (40%)

JOHNSTON, Donald James 192 (6%)

Spoiled ballots 1

''Total votes cast 3,453''

1990 leadership convention results

The 1990 leadership convention was held in Calgary, Alberta on June 23, 1990.
'First ballot'

'CHRÉTIEN, Joseph Jacques Jean 2,652' (56.81%)

MARTIN, Paul Edgar Philippe 1,176 (25.19%)

COPPS, Sheila Maureen 499 (10.69%)

WAPPEL, Thomas (Tom) William 267 (5.72%)

NUNZIATA, John V. 64 (1.37%)

Spoiled ballots 10 (0.21%)

''Total votes cast 4,668''

2003 leadership convention results

The 2003 leadership convention was held in Toronto, Ontario on November 14, 2003.
'First ballot'

'MARTIN, Paul Edgar Philippe 3,242' (93.84%)

COPPS, Sheila Maureen 211 (6.11%)

Spoiled ballots 2 (0.06%)

''Total votes cast 3,455''
''Source: Parliament of Canada website''

2006 leadership convention

The 2006 leadership convention was held at the Palais des congrès de Montréal in Montreal, Quebec on December 2-3 2006.
Before voting on the first ballot began, Volpe withdrew, endorsed Rae
'First Ballot'

★ Michael Ignatieff - 1,412 (29.3%)

★ Bob Rae - 977 (20.3%)

★ Stéphane Dion - 856 (17.8%)

★ Gerard Kennedy - 854 (17.7%)

★ Ken Dryden - 238 (4.9%)

★ Scott Brison - 192 (4.0%)

★ Joe Volpe - 156 (3.2%)

★ Martha Hall Findlay - 130 (2.7%)
Hall Findlay dropped off, endorsed Dion; Brison withdrew, endorsed Rae
'Second Ballot'

★ Michael Ignatieff - 1,481 (31.8%)

★ Bob Rae - 1132 (24.1%)

★ Stéphane Dion - 974 (20.8%)

★ Gerard Kennedy - 884 (18.8%)

★ Ken Dryden - 219 (4.7%)
Dryden dropped off, endorsed Rae; Kennedy withdrew, endorsed Dion
'Third Ballot'

★ Stéphane Dion - 1,782 (37.0%)

★ Michael Ignatieff - 1,660 (34.5%)

★ Bob Rae - 1,375 (28.5%)
Rae droppped off, released delegates
'Fourth Ballot (final)'

★ 'Stéphane Dion 2,521' (54.7%)


★ Michael Ignatieff - 2,084 (45.3%)