OTTAWA – The Federal Council of the New Democratic Party of Canada has ratified the rules governing their 2017 leadership race that will see the next leader of the party elected.
The initial rules were set by the NDP Federal Executive on June 6th, following parameters set out by the Federal Council on May 15th, 2016.
The NDP is innovating with the adoption of these leadership rules, replacing the traditional leadership Convention with a month-long series of run-off contests.
An all-candidates’ showcase will kick off the balloting process, followed by a maximum of five rounds of balloting spread throughout October 2017. Each ballot’s results will be announced in a series of mini-conventions at different locations across the country as the process unfolds.
This will allow for greater flexibility in voting, and increased participation by the members. It will have the additional benefit of allowing for the excitement and momentum of the race to build over a longer period of time.
“Our goal was to come up with innovative rules to make the race engaging and maximise the participation of members from across the country, while ensuring the race is as fair and transparent as possible for all leadership candidates,” said NDP President Marit Stiles.
With the rules now in place, the NDP leadership race will officially begin on July 2nd 2017, and a Leader will be selected no later than October 29, 2017.
“This is an exciting time for our party and its members, and with these rules now set, I know New Democrats are eager to begin the process of choosing our next leader and the next Prime Minister of Canada,” said NDP Vice-President Hans Marotte.
The rules for the NDP’s 2017 leadership election can be found at ndp.ca.
