Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario leadership elections

This page lists the results of leadership elections within the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario (known as the Conservative Party of Ontario before 1942).

Before 1920, leaders of the Conservative Party were usually chosen by caucus. In 1914, William Hearst was selected at a meeting of the province's executive council (or cabinet) as James Whitney, the previous leader, had died while holding the office of Premier.

All of the party's leadership races before 1990 were determined by delegated conventions. The leadership races of 1990, 2002 and 2004 were determined by a weighted vote of all party members, with each constituency contributing an equal number of "votes" to the total. The 1990 race was decided in one round, while the 2002 race took two. For the 2004 election, the party introduced a preferential balloting system, such that party members would only be required to vote one time.

Contents

1920 Conservative Party leadership convention

(Held on December 2, 1920.)

(Note: The vote totals were not announced.)

When Ferguson resigned as Premier in 1930, he selected George Henry as his replacement. Henry was subsequently confirmed as party leader at a special Meeting on June 24, 1931. [1]

1936 Conservative Party leadership convention

(Held on May 28, 1936 at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto.)

First ballot:

Second ballot:

See also: Conservative Party of Ontario leadership convention, 1936

1938 Conservative Party leadership convention

(Held on December 9, 1938 at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto.)

See also: Conservative Party of Ontario leadership convention, 1938

1949 Progressive Conservative leadership convention

(Held on April 27, 1949.)

1961 Progressive Conservative leadership convention

(Held on October 25, 1961.)

First ballot:

Second ballot:

Third ballot:

Fourth ballot:

Fifth ballot:

Sixth ballot:

1971 Progressive Conservative leadership convention

(Held on February 12, 1971.)

First ballot:

Pharand eliminated; Bert Lawrence withdrew.

Second ballot:

Welch eliminated.

Third ballot:

McKeough eliminated.

Fourth ballot:

January 1985 Progressive Conservative leadership convention

(Held in Toronto on January 26, 1985.)

First ballot:

Second ballot (McMurtry supports Grossman):

(Note: These figures were confirmed by a recount.)

Third ballot (Timbrell supports Grossman):

November 1985 Progressive Conservative leadership convention

(Held on November 16, 1985.)

First ballot:

Second ballot:

1990 Progressive Conservative leadership convention

(Held on May 12, 1990.)

(the non-weighted vote totals were: Harris 8661, Cunningham 7189)

The 1990 vote was the first held on the basis of one member one vote with votes weighted so that each riding had equal weight.

See also: Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario leadership election, 1990

2002 Progressive Conservative leadership convention

(Held on March 23, 2002.)

First ballot:

(Note: After the first ballot, Clement and Witmer both withdrew from the contest and supported Ernie Eves. Their names remained on the ballot for at least a part of the second round, however.)

Second ballot:

(It is not clear if the non-weighted vote totals were released to the public. 44188 party members voted on the first ballot, 34608 on the second.)

2004 Progressive Conservative leadership convention

(Held on September 18, 2004.)

First ballot:

5039 electoral votes needed to win

(the non-weighted vote totals were Tory 12,132, Flaherty 7,951, Klees 5,240)

Second ballot:

5028 electoral votes needed to win

(the non-weighted vote totals were Tory 18,037, Flaherty 14,353)

2009 Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario leadership convention

(Held on June 27, 2009 in Markham, Ontario)

First Ballot

Candidate Weighted Votes
(sum of percentages in each riding)
Percentage
Tim Hudak 3,511.873 33.9
Frank Klees 3,093.770 29.9
Christine Elliott 2,728.664 26.4
Randy Hillier 1,013.694 9.8
Total 10,348 100

Movement: Hillier eliminated and endorses Hudak; prior to balloting Hillier asked his supporters to make Hudak their second choice.

Second Ballot

Candidate Weighted Votes
(sum of percentages in each riding)
Percentage +/-
Tim Hudak 4,128.570 39.95 +6.0
Frank Klees 3,299.809 31.94 +1.9
Christine Elliott 2,903.621 28.10 +1.6
Total 10,332 100.0

Does not include votes that were spoiled because no second choice was indicated.

Movement: Elliott eliminated

Third Ballot

Candidate Weighted Votes
(sum of percentages in each riding)
Percentage +/-
Tim Hudak 5,606 54.25 +14.3
Frank Klees 4,644 44.94 +13.0
Total 10,332 100.0

Does not include votes that were spoiled because no second or third choice was indicated.

References

  1. ^ The Canadian Annual Review of Public Affairs, 1930-31, p. 108