Ontario Liberal Party leadership elections

This is a list of results of leadership elections for the Ontario Liberal Party, a political party in Ontario, Canada.

Note: Before 1919, the leaders of the Ontario Liberal Party were chosen by its elected Members of the Legislative Assembly. There were calls for a more open process as early as 1907.

1919 leadership convention

(Held on June 26, 1919 at the Foresters' Hall, 22 College Street, Toronto.)^[1]

First ballot:

• Hartley Dewart 147
• J.C. Tolmie 97
• J.C. Elliott 37
• William Proudfoot 23
• Thomas McMillan 8

Second ballot:

• Hartley Dewart 158
• J.C. Tolmie 121
• J.C. Elliott 24

Charles Martin Bowman, MPP for Bruce North; W.T.R. Preston, editor of the Port Hope Evening Guide, Rev. W. G. Charlton of Aylmer, and A. J. Young of Toronto were nominated but declined. Frederick Forsyth Pardee, Member of Parliament for Lambton West was to be nominated but sent a message to the convention declining.^[2]

1922 leadership convention

(Held on March 3, 1922 at the Foresters' Hall, 22 College Street, Toronto.)^[3]

• Wellington Hay won with clear majority on the first ballot
• J.C. Tolmie
• W.E.N. Sinclair

(Note: The vote totals do not appear to have been announced.)

1930 leadership convention

(Held on December 16–17, 1930 at the King Edward Hotel in Toronto.)^[4]

• Mitchell Hepburn 427
• Elmore Philpott 97

W.E.N. Sinclair and Sydney Tweed both withdrew from the race before balloting.

1943 leadership convention

Main article: 1943 Liberal Party of Ontario leadership convention

(Held on April 30, 1943 at the King Edward Hotel in Toronto.)

• Harry Nixon 418
• Arthur Roebuck 85
• Thomas McQuesten 40
• Walter Thomson 22

There were 8 spoiled ballots. Premier Gordon Conant had also been a candidate but collapsed the morning of the leadership vote and withdrew.

1945 leadership election

(Held on April 2, 1945 at the King Edward Hotel in Toronto.)

• Mitchell Hepburn acclaimed

Harry Nixon resigned as Liberal leader on December 10, 1944 and nominated Hepburn to succeed him as parliamentary leader until a leadership convention could be held.^[5] Following the defeat of George Drew's Conservative government in a non-confidence motion, Hepburn was elected Acting Leader on April 2, 1945, at a joint meeting held at the King Edward Hotel of Ontario Liberal MPPs, federal Ontario Liberal MPs the party executive and other party officials in order to lead the party into the election. The move was to be affirmed by a party convention to be held on May 1, but this was cancelled due to the 1945 provincial election being underway.^[6][7][8] Hepburn was defeated in the 1945 provincial election, and Farquhar Oliver was chosen as the Ontario Liberal Party's parliamentary leader on July 4, 1945.

1947 leadership convention

(Held on May 16, 1947 at the King Edward Hotel in Toronto)^[9][10]

• Farquhar Oliver elected
• Colin Campbell
• Allan A. Lamport
• Alvin P. Cadeau
• W.A. Gunn
• P.M. Dewan and W.A. Moore both withdrew from the race before balloting.

(Note: Complete vote totals were not reported. Oliver received 492 of 661 votes cast)^[10]

1950 leadership convention

(Held on November 10, 1950 at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto.)^[11]

First ballot:

• Walter Thomson 296
• Harry Cassidy 156
• John G. Brown 149
• Campbell Calder 69
• Henry Arnott Hicks 28
• Charles Winnans Cox 24
• Norman Hipel 12
• J.J. Sullivan 4

Second ballot (Sullivan eliminated; Hicks, Cox and Hipel withdrew):

• Walter Thomson 334
• Harry Cassidy 194
• John G. Brown 166
• Campbell Calder 50

Third ballot (Calder eliminated):

• Walter Thomson 365
• Harry Cassidy 220
• John G. Brown 116

1954 leadership convention

(Held on April 9, 1954 at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto.)^[12]

• Farquhar Oliver 412
• Albert Wren 162
• Bob Temple 46

1958 leadership convention

(Held on April 20, 1958 at the King Edward Hotel in Toronto.)^[13]

First ballot:

• Walter Harris 304
• John Wintermeyer 264
• Joe Greene 88
• Vernon Singer 43
• Ross Whicher 39
• Arthur Reaume 32
• Albert Wren 7

Wren eliminated and endorsed Wintermeyer; Whicher and Reaume withdrew and endorsed Wintermeyer.^[14]

Second ballot:

• John Wintermeyer 369
• Walter Harris 354
• Joe Greene45
• Vernon Singer 21

Singer eliminated.

Third ballot:

• John Wintermeyer 398
• Walter Harris 349
• Joe Greene 14

1964 leadership convention

Main article: 1964 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election

(Held on September 19–20, 1964 at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto.)

Delegate support by ballot

Candidate	1st ballot		2nd ballot		3rd ballot		4th ballot		5th ballot		6th ballot
Name	Votes cast	%	Votes cast	%	Votes cast	%	Votes cast	%	Votes cast	%	Votes cast	%
Andy Thompson	379	27.7	408	29.7	462	33.6	520	38.1	539	39.9	772	58.8
Charles Templeton	317	23.1	356	25.9	396	28.8	422	30.9	419	31.0	540	41.2
Robert Nixon	313	22.8	351	25.6	356	25.9	387	28.3	392	29.0
Joe Greene	236	17.2	211	15.4	149	10.9	37	2.7
Victor Copps	61	4.5	27	2.0	10	0.7
Eddie Sargent	51	3.7	20	1.5
Joseph Gould	13	0.9
Total	1,370	100.0	1,373	100.0	1,373	100.0	1,366	100.0	1,350	100.0	1,312	100.0

1967 leadership convention

(Held on January 6, 1967 at the Royal York Hotel, Toronto)^[15]

• Robert Nixon acclaimed

(Nixon was elected interim leader by the caucus on November 16, 1966 following the resignation of Andrew Thompson. Nixon had suggested that Charles Templeton may become permanent leader but members of his caucus spoke in opposition and Templeton decline to run. Nixon was acclaimed as permanent leader at the party's 1967 convention. He announced his resignation as party leader in 1972, but subsequently entered the race to succeed himself in 1973.)

1973 leadership convention

Main article: 1973 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election

(Held on October 28, 1973 at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto.)

Delegate support by ballot

Candidate	1st ballot		2nd ballot		3rd ballot
Name	Votes cast	%	Votes cast	%	Votes cast	%
Robert Nixon	730	42.5	768	45.3	922	57.7
Norman Cafik	574	33.4	613	36.1	675	42.3
Donald Deacon	402	23.4	316	18.6	Endorsed Nixon
Michael Houlton	11	0.6	No endorsement
Total	1,717	100.0	1,697	100.0	1,597	100.0

1976 leadership convention

Main article: 1976 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election

(Held on January 24–25, 1976 at the Four Seasons Sheraton Hotel, Toronto)

Delegate support by ballot

Candidate	1st ballot		2nd ballot		3rd ballot
Name	Votes cast	%	Votes cast	%	Votes cast	%
Stuart Smith	629	32.0	742	38.5	998	51.2
David Peterson	518	26.4	673	34.9	953	48.8
Albert Roy	469	23.9	513	26.6	No Endorsement
Mark MacGuigan	308	15.7	No Endorsement
Larry Condon	37	1.9	No Endorsement
Michael Houlton	4	0.2	No endorsement
Total	1,965	100.0	1,928	100.0	1,951	100.0

1982 leadership convention

Main article: 1982 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election

(Held on February 21, 1982 at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, Toronto).

  = Eliminated from next round

  = Withdrew nomination

  = Winner

Delegate support by ballot

Candidate	1st Ballot		2nd Ballot
Name	Votes	%	Votes	%
David Peterson	966	46.3	1136	55.2
Sheila Copps	636	30.5	774	37.6
Richard Thomas	234	11.2	148	7.2
Jim Breithaupt	130	6.2
John Sweeney	122	5.8
Votes cast by ballot
Total	2088	100.0	2058	100.0

1992 leadership convention

Main article: 1992 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election

(Held February 8–9, 1992 at the Copps Coliseum in Hamilton.)

  = Eliminated from next round

  = Withdrew nomination

  = Winner

Delegate support by ballot

Candidate	1st Ballot		2nd Ballot		3rd Ballot		4th Ballot		5th Ballot [A]
Name	Votes	%	Votes	%	Votes	%	Votes	%	Votes	%
Murray Elston	740	30.2	767	31.8	865	35.6	988	41.6	1153	49.8
Lyn McLeod	667	27.2	744	30.9	873	35.9	1049	44.1	1162	50.2
Greg Sorbara	345	14.1	380	15.8	402	16.6	341	14.3	Released delegates
Charles Beer	247	10.1	307	12.7	289	11.9	Released delegates
Steve Mahoney	236	9.6	213	8.8	Supported McLeod
David Ramsay	216	8.8	Released delegates
Votes cast by ballot
Total	2451	100.0	2411	100.0	2429	100.0	2378	100.0	2315	100.0

^A There were 21 spoiled ballots on the final count.

1996 leadership convention

Main article: 1996 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election

(Held November 30 – December 1, 1996 at the Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto)

This section is transcluded from 1996 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election. (edit | history)

  = Eliminated from next round

  = Withdrew nomination

  = Winner

Delegate support by ballot

Candidate	elected delegates		1st Ballot (7:31pm)		2nd Ballot (10:25pm)[A]		3rd Ballot (12:39am)		4th Ballot (2:35am)		5th Ballot (4:25am)
Name	Votes	%	Votes	%	Votes	%	Votes	%	Votes	%	Votes	%
Gerard Kennedy	703	29.5	770	30.1	775	30.9	803	31.9	968	40.1	1065	46.9
Joseph Cordiano	497	20.8	557	21.8	570	22.7	601	23.9	696	28.8	Supported McGuinty
Dwight Duncan	393	16.5	464	18.1	474	18.9	509	20.3	Supported Kennedy
Dalton McGuinty	410	17.2	450	17.6	440	17.6	601	23.9	750	31.1	1205	53.1
John Gerretsen	129	5.4	152	6.0	124	5.0	Supported McGuinty
Anna-Marie Castrilli	110	4.6	141	5.5	122	4.9	Supported McGuinty
Greg Kells	17	0.7	24	0.9	Released delegates
Independent	127	5.3
Total	2386	100.0	2558	100.0	2505	100.0	2514	100.0	2414	100.0	2270	100.0

^A Castrilli initially withdrew from the 2nd ballot but subsequently returned, causing a delay in voting

2013 leadership election

Main article: 2013 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election

(Held January 26, 2013 at the Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto)

  = Eliminated from next round

  = Withdrew nomination

  = Winner

Delegate support by ballot

Candidate		Committed[16]	Ballot 1	Ballot 2		Ballot 3
Name		Votes	Votes	Votes	+/- (pp)	Votes	+/- (pp)
	Sandra Pupatello	509 27.4%	599 28.7%	817 39.4%	+10.7	866 43.0%	+5.8%
	Kathleen Wynne	468 25.2%	597 28.6%	750 36.2%	+7.6	1,150 57.0%	+20.8
	Gerard Kennedy	260 14.0%	281 13.5%	285 13.7%	+0.2	Endorsed Wynne
	Harinder Takhar	244 13.1%	235 11.3%	18 0.9%	-10.4	Endorsed Pupatello[A]
	Charles Sousa	204 11.0%	222 10.7%	203 9.8%	-0.9	Endorsed Wynne
	Eric Hoskins	105 5.7%	150 7.2%	Endorsed Wynne
Independent		67 3.6%
	Glen Murray	Endorsed Wynne
Votes cast and net change by ballot
Total		1,857	2,084	2,073	-11	2,016	-57

^A Takhar endorsed Pupatello before the second ballot voting took place, but after the deadline to drop off the ballot.

2020 leadership election

Main article: 2020 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election

(Held March 6–7, 2020 at the International Centre, Mississauga)

This section is transcluded from 2020 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election. (edit | history)

Candidate	Delegate Elected[17]		First (final) ballot
Steven Del Duca	1,172	56.2%	1,258	58.8%
Michael Coteau	370	17.8%	363	16.9%
Kate Graham	273	13.1%	299	13.9%
Mitzie Hunter	130	6.2%	122	5.7%
Alvin Tedjo	72	3.4%	74	3.5%
Brenda Hollingsworth	25	1.2%	24	1.1%
Independent	42	2.0%
Total	2084		2140

There was one spoiled ballot.^[18]

2023 leadership election

Main article: 2023 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election

(Results announced December 2, 2023 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre)

A leadership election was held December 2, 2023 due to the June 2, 2022 resignation of Steven Del Duca as party leader following his party's poor result in the 2022 Ontario general election.

  = Winner

Results by round

Candidate		1st round				2nd round				3rd round
		Votes cast	%	Points allocated	%	Votes cast	%	Points allocated	%	Votes cast	%	Points allocated	%
	Bonnie Crombie			5,559	42.96%			6,047	46.73%			6,911	53.40%
	Nathaniel Erskine-Smith			3,320	25.66%			3,792	29.30%			6,029	46.59%
	Yasir Naqvi			2,760	21.33%			3,101	23.96%	Eliminated
	Ted Hsu			1,300	10.05%	Eliminated
Total			100%	12,939	100%		100%	12,940	100%		100%	12,940	100%

According to the party, 22,827 party members cast ballots^[19] out of a total membership of over 100,000.^[20]

References

1. "ONTARIO LIBERALS TO SELECT NEW LEADER AT ELEVEN TO-DAY: Four Now in Field, and Name of F. F. Pardee, M. P., May Also Be in Nomination ADVANCED POLICY TALK IS HEARD IN CONVENTION Likely to be Important Stand Taken on Labor Question-- To-day Momentous One for Party". The Globe. June 26, 1919.
2. "H. HARTLEY DEWART NEW LEADER; ELECTED ON THE SECOND BALLOT BY ONTARIO LIBERAL CONVENTION: Major Tolmie of Windsor Runs Second, and Mr. Elliott Third Progressive Policies for Party Are Determined Upon OVER THREE HUNDRED BALLOTS ARE MARKED Mr. Proudfoot Expostulates With Some Heat That No Man Who Voted Union Has Chance at Any Liberal Convention". The Globe. June 27, 1919.
3. "ONTARIO LIBERALISM KNOWS NO COALITION UNDER U.F.O. BANNER: Convention Today Will Demonstrate That "Class Political Movement" Has No Friends in Historic Party--All Farmers By No Means "Morrisonites" RECENT ELECTION STRENGTHENS CAUSE". The Globe. March 1, 1922.
4. "Race for Leadership, A People's Platform, To Enthuse Liberals: Three, Maybe Four, Aspire to High Office-- Sinclair's Intentions Not Definitely Known, But His Friends Say He Is "No Quitter" 1,200 DELEGATES AT GREAT RALLY Hon. Peter Heenan Said to Be Preparing a "Bill of Rights" for Labor-Tory Strongholds in Cities to Be Assailed". The Globe. December 15, 1930.
5. "Nixon Quits as Leader Of Ontario Liberals". Globe and Mail. December 11, 1944.
6. "A Sign of Party Bankruptcy". Globe and Mail. April 4, 1945.
7. "Hepburn Named Ontario Leader; Is Given Backing". Globe and Mail. April 3, 1945.
8. "Ontario Liberal Convention MAY I". Globe and Mail. April 4, 1945.
9. "Liberal Leadership Race Won By Oliver", Ottawa Citizen, May 17, 1947
10. "Name Oliver Leader By Almost 7 to 1 Margin". Toronto Daily Star. May 17, 1947.
11. "Brown Strongly Backed In Race Among Eight For Liberal Leadership". Globe and Mail. November 10, 1950.
12. "Only Half of Delegates Hear 3 Liberals Speak for Leadership: Call Rally Colorless". Globe and Mail. April 9, 1954.
13. "By-election Fight Wintermeyer Plan In Liberal Rebirth". Toronto Daily Star. April 21, 1958.
14. "Albert Wren: MRP for 10 Years In Northern Riding". Globe and Mail. November 2, 1961.
15. "Nixon pledges home owners tax relief". Toronto Daily Star. January 7, 1967.
16. Leadership Election Meeting Results 2013 Archived March 26, 2014, at the Wayback Machine. pantone201.ca
17. "Ontario Liberal News | Ontario Liberal Party". Archived from the original on January 19, 2013.
18. Gibson, Victoria (March 7, 2020). "Steven Del Duca named Ontario Liberal leader in first-ballot victory". iPolitics. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
19. "Ontario Liberal Leadership Second Ballot Results". Liberal Party of Ontario. December 2, 2023. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
20. "Ontario Liberal Leadership First Round Results". Liber. December 2, 2023. Retrieved December 2, 2023.