Liberal leadership conventions

The first three leaders of the Liberal Party of Canada were not chosen at a 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 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 thow their support to another candidate.

Table of contents

1 1919 Leadership Convention Results
2 1948 Leadership Convention Results
3 1958 Leadership Convention Results
4 1968 Leadership Convention Results
5 1984 Leadership Convention Results
6 1990 Leadership Convention Results
7 2003 Liberal Party of Canada leadership race

1919 Leadership Convention Results

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 while 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

First Ballot
TRUDEAU, Pierre Elliott 752
HELLYER, Paul Theodore 330
WINTERS, Robert Henry 293
MARTIN, Paul Joseph James 277
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 2390 (Interestingly, Henderson was not himself a registered delegate, but his wife was.)

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 2379
MacEachan 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 1051
WINTERS, Robert Henry 621
HELLYER, Paul Theodore 377
TURNER, John Napier 279
GREENE, John James 29
Spoiled Ballots 19
Total Votes Cast 2376

Fourth Ballot
TRUDEAU, Pierre Elliott 1203
WINTERS, Robert Henry 954
TURNER, John Napier 195
Spoiled Ballots 13
Total Votes Cast 2365

1984 Leadership Convention Results

Held in Ottawa, Ontario on June 16, 1984

First Ballot
TURNER, John Napier 1593
CHRÉTIEN, Jean Joseph Jacques 1067
JOHNSTON, Donald James 278
ROBERTS, John (Moody) 185
MACGUIGAN, Mark R 135
MUNRO, John Carr 93
WHELAN, Eugene Francis 84
Spoiled Ballots 2
Total Votes Cast 3437

Second Ballot
TURNER, John Napier 1862
CHRÉTIEN, Jean Joseph Jacques 1398
JOHNSTON, Donald James 192
Spoiled Ballots 1
Total Votes Cast 3423

1990 Leadership Convention Results

Held in Calgary, Alberta on June 23, 1990

First Ballot
CHRÉTIEN, Jean Joseph Jacques 2652
MARTIN, Paul Edgar Philippe 1176
COPPS, Sheila Maureen 499
WAPPEL, Thomas (Tom) William 267
NUNZIATA, John V 64
Spoiled Ballots 10
Total Votes Cast 4668

2003 Liberal Party of Canada leadership race

Held in Toronto, Ontario on November 14, 2003

First Ballot
MARTIN, Paul Edgar Philippe 3242
COPPS, Sheila Maureen 211
Spoiled Ballots 2
Total Votes Cast 3455

Source: Parliament of Canada website