British Columbia Liberal Party leadership elections

This page lists the results of leadership conventions of the British Columbia Liberal Party, known since 2023 as British Columbia United.

Winners are listed first, in bold, and prefaced by Winner.

1902 leadership convention

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Held February 6, 1902.

(Source: "Canadian Annual Review 1902", p. 85)

1903 election by party caucus

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Joseph Martin resigned as Liberal leader on June 2, 1903. Following his personal defeat in the 1903 general election, the first on a partisan basis, James Alexander MacDonald was elected leader by a party caucus on October 19, 1903.

First ballot:

Second ballot:

Third ballot (Runoff between McInnes and MacDonald):

Fourth ballot (McInnes eliminated):

(Source: "Canadian Annual Review 1903", pgs. 222–223)

Developments 1909–1912

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John Oliver was elected leader by a meeting of the caucus and provincial executive October 10, 1909.

1912 leadership convention

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Held March 1, 1912

1918 election by party caucus

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On March 5, 1918, John Oliver was elected leader on the fourth ballot, defeating James Horace King and John Wallace de Beque Farris. William Sloan and John Duncan MacLean were eliminated on previous ballots.

  •   John Oliver
  • James Horace King
  • John Wallace de Begue Farris
  • William Sloan
  • John Duncan MacLean

Source: "Morning Leader", March 6, 1918

Developments 1927–1930

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At a party caucus on July 18, 1927, John Oliver resigned as premier and party leader due to ill health. This was refused and John Duncan MacLean was chosen to be his successor as leader and premier and was made acting premier while Oliver remained nominal premier. Oliver died on August 17, 1927, and MacLean became premier on August 20.

Source: "Morning Leader", July 19, 1927

Following John Duncan MacLean's personal defeat in the 1928 general election Thomas Dufferin Pattullo was unanimously chosen House leader by the Liberal caucus on January 19, 1929. This was confirmed by the party executive on January 21, 1929. He was confirmed as permanent leader at a subsequent convention.

Source: "Vancouver Sun", January 21, 1929

1930 leadership convention

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Held May 30, 1930

Source: "Montreal Gazette", May 31, 1930

1941 leadership convention

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Held December 2, 1941

Source: "The Leader Post", December 3, 1941

1947 leadership convention

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Held December 10, 1947

Source: "Saskatoon Star-Phoenix", December 11, 1947

1953 leadership convention

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Held April 8, 1953

Source: "Vancouver Sun", April 9, 1953

1959 leadership convention

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Held on May 16, 1959

Source: "Montreal Gazette", May 19, 1959

1968 leadership convention

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Held on October 5, 1968

Source: The Leader-Post, October 7, 1968)

1972 leadership convention

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Held on May 22, 1972

1975 leadership convention

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Held on September 28, 1975, in Burnaby, British Columbia

1979 leadership convention

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Held on February 19, 1979

(Source: Globe and Mail, February 19, 1979)

1981 leadership convention

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Held on May 25, 1981

(Note: There were six spoiled ballots.)

1984 leadership convention

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Held on March 31, 1984, in Richmond, British Columbia

1987 leadership convention

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Held on October 30, 1987, in Richmond, British Columbia

One other candidate, Clive Tanner, had been in the race through the spring and summer, but withdrew in August after sustaining a leg injury which affected his ability to campaign.[1]

1993 leadership challenge

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Held on September 11, 1993.[2]

2011 leadership election

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Held on February 26, 2011

The rounds were counted in terms of points, with 100 points allocated per electoral district.[3][4]

Candidate First round Second round Third round
Points % Points % Points %
  Christy Clark 3,209 37.75 3,575 42.06 4,420 52.0
Kevin Falcon 2,411 28.36 2,564 30.16 4,080 48.0
George Abbott 2,091 24.60 2,361 27.78 Eliminated
Mike de Jong 789 9.28 Eliminated
Total 8,500 100.00 8,500 100.00 8,500 100.0

2018 leadership election

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Held February 3, 2018

  = Eliminated from next round
  = Winner
Candidate Ballot 1 Ballot 2 Ballot 3 Ballot 4 Ballot 5
Name Points Points +/− (pp) Points +/− (pp) Points +/− (pp) Points +/− (pp)
  Andrew Wilkinson 1,591
18.29%
1,631
18.74%
+40
+0.45
2,201
25.29%
+570
+6.55
2,862
32.89%
+661
+7.60
4,621
53.11%
+1,759
+20.22
Dianne Watts 2,135
24.54%
2,169
24.93%
+34
+0.39
2,469
28.38%
+300
+3.45
3,006
34.55%
+537
+6.17
4,079
46.89%
+1,073
+12.34
Michael Lee 1,916
22.03%
1,960
22.53%
+54
+0.50
2,264
26.03%
+304
+3.50
2,832
32.56%
+568
+6.53
Eliminated
Todd Stone 1,483
17.05%
1,505
17.30%
+22
+0.25
1,766
20.29%
+261
+2.99
Eliminated
Mike de Jong 1,415
16.27%
1,436
16.51%
+21
+0.24
Eliminated
Sam Sullivan 158
1.82%
Eliminated

2022 leadership election

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A leadership election was held on February 5, 2022 to elect a new party leader following the resignation of Andrew Wilkinson after the 2020 British Columbia general election.

  = Eliminated from next round
  = Winner
Candidate Ballot 1 Ballot 2 Ballot 3 Ballot 4 Ballot 5
Name Points Percent Points Percent Points Percent Points Percent Points Percent
  Kevin Falcon 4121 47% 4143 47.6% 4202.36 48.3% 4318.14 49.63% 4541.35 52.19%
Ellis Ross 2325 26.7% 2355.9 27.1% 2493.1 28.66% 2714.50 31.2% 2928.33 33.65%
Michael Lee 899 10.3% 912.4 10.5% 938.43 10.8% 1039.37 11.94% 1230.31 14.14%
Val Litwin 504 5.8% 517.9 5.95% 536.17 6.16% 627.97 7.21% Eliminated
Gavin Dew 466 5.4% 481.4 5.5% 429.93 6.01% Eliminated
Renee Merrifield 278 3.2% 289 3.3% Eliminated
Stan Sipos 104.6 1.2% Eliminated

References

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  1. ^ "Leadership may be one-man race". The Globe and Mail, August 27, 1987.
  2. ^ Courtney, John C. (1995). Do Conventions Matter?: Choosing National Party Leaders in Canada. McGill-Queen's Press. p. 369. ISBN 0773565698.
  3. ^ "Leadership Vote Results". BC Liberals. February 26, 2011. Archived from the original on March 2, 2011. Retrieved February 26, 2011.
  4. ^ Clark leading after 1st ballot in BC Liberal vote