1998 Progressive Conservative leadership election

1998 Progressive Conservative Party leadership election

← 1995 October 24 & November 14, 1998 2003 →

PC Candidate Joe Clark David Orchard Hugh Segal Second ballot points 23,321 (77.5%) 6,779 (22.5%) Withdrew First ballot points 14,592 (48.5%) 4,916 (16.3%) 5,689 (18.9%)   Candidate Brian Pallister Michael Fortier Second ballot points Withdrew Eliminated First ballot points 3,676 (12.2%) 1,227 (4.1%)

Leader before election Elsie Wayne (interim) Elected Leader Joe Clark

The 1998 Progressive Conservative leadership election was held on October 24 and November 14, 1998 to choose a successor to Jean Charest. This was the first time the Progressive Conservatives used a one member, one vote system to choose a leader rather than a delegated leadership convention, which has been the norm since 1927. The 1998 election used a point system that allocated 100 points to each riding, regardless of the number of votes cast in the riding. The candidate who won a majority of points (not necessarily a majority of voters) would win the leadership. All party members were eligible to cast a vote. If no candidate received a majority of points on the first ballot, the lowest ranking candidate would be automatically eliminated and a second ballot was to be held using a preferential ballot if more than two candidates remained.^[2] The 100-point-per-riding system was again used by the Conservative Party of Canada in their leadership elections.