BC Liberals to Choose New Leader in February
Prince George, B.C. – The BC Liberals will have a new leader in place Feb. 4, 2018.
The party says voting will take place online, with a telephone option, on Friday, Feb. 2, Saturday Feb. 3, and Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018.
Under the leadership rule, there will be a vote for every member of the party with equal weight given to every riding in the province.
There will also be a preferential ballot that will allow members to rank their choices for leader.
The party says they are currently in the process of selecting a vendor to provide secure voting services, and an auditor to provide impartial oversight.
Former Liberal attorney general Geoff Plant will serve as Chief Returning Officer.
The party says the race will require all candidates to participate in party-sponsored debates or forums in Vancouver, Surrey, Prince George, Nanaimo and the Thompson-Okanagan region, and one organized by the BC Liberal Indigenous Network.
The deadline to join the party or renew one’s membership to vote, along with prospective candidates to join the race is Friday, Dec. 29.
The cost of membership remains $10 for four years, or $5 for those aged 14-25.
The total entry cost for candidates is $50,000 – a $10,000 exploratory entry fee, a $15,000 candidacy fee in advance of the first leadership debate, and a final candidacy fee of $25,000.
The party says the money will help cover the costs of administering the leadership process and ensure the party “is on a strong financial foundation.”
The BC Liberals says the $50,000 entry cost compares to $30,000 for the 2017 Alberta PC leadership race, $75,000 for the 2015 Ontario PC leadership race, and $50,000 for the 2013 Ontario Liberal Party contest.
In addition to that, candidates will be prohibited from spending over $600,000, not including entry fees or administrative fees payable to the party. This compares to $450,000 in the 2011 leadership race.
The leadership race was prompted by former leader Christy Clark’s resignation last month.
Comments
Does this mean no election until the spring of 2018 at the earliest??
Snap election in January, LOL!
Quite surprised they left out Ft. St. John and Rupert.
IMHO, they are waiting way too long.
Dont they mean social credit party.
It’s interesting that there will be a preferential ballot to select the leader of a party whose members appear to be so opposed to a preferential ballot system in provincial elections.
Ammonra, you should get your facts straight. The “Party” is opposed to the proportional representation system as proposed by the Greens because it would appoint people to the legislature that were never “Elected” by the tax payers of the province. A preferential ballot simply ensures that the eventual winner receives at least 50% + 1 of the vote. I’m sure the “Party” would be very much in favour of applying that system to general elections, however, I’m sure the Greenies and the NDP would never agree to it.
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