Nearly 270,000 members largest for a leadership race in party’s history
The Conservative Party of Canada has set a record for memberships in a leadership race with 269,469 members. With this total, the party has surpassed its membership total both in 2004 when the merger of two national parties meant open nomination races in all ridings across Canada, and in 2017 when 16 candidates were part of the leadership process.
With nearly 270,000 paid Conservative Party members as of cut-off on May 15, 2020, that also means it’s the largest membership eligible to vote in a leadership in Canadian history.
“These membership numbers are solid indicators of the strength of the Conservative Party, and our state of readiness to challenge Justin Trudeau and the Liberals in the next election,” said Dan Nowlan, Co-Chair of the Conservative Party’s Leadership Election Organizing Committee (LEOC). “The winner of this contest will be the next Prime Minister of Canada, and the record amount of interest in this race shows that’s exactly what is expected as the next step for our new leader.”
“These are Canadians that are motivated and want a say in who the next Prime Minister is,” said Lisa Raitt, Co-Chair of LEOC. “Kudos needs to be given to all the candidates for their hard-work through a global pandemic and inspiring Canadians to join our movement and want to cast a vote in our leadership process.”
The largest percentage growth provincially was in Nova Scotia, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Alberta, respectively – all nearly doubling their membership totals. Nearly 150 ridings across Canada have doubled their membership levels, and over 100 ridings across Canada now have more than 1,000 Conservative Party members.
The highest percent of membership growth in a riding is spread out across the country with Surrey—Newton (BC) leading, followed by Brampton East (ON), Humber River–Black Creek (ON), Scarborough North (ON), Laval–Les Îles (QC), Papineau (QC), Saint-Léonard–Saint-Michel (QC), Labrador (NL), Avalon (NL), and Cumberland–Colchester (NS).
The highest total membership in a riding has Battle River–Crowfoot (AB), Calgary Centre (AB), Foothills (AB), Cypress Hills–Grasslands (SK), Banff–Airdrie (AB), Oxford (ON), Calgary Signal Hill (AB), Edmonton–Wetaskiwin (AB), Lethbridge (AB), Parry Sound–Muskoka (ON), Red Deer–Mountain View (AB), and Langley–Aldergrove (BC) rounding the top ten in Canada.
Eligible members will cast one vote each in the Leadership, with that ballot required to be received back by mail on August 21, 2020 at 5 PM EDT. Ballots have already been mailed, and will be landing over the coming days and weeks.
The rules for the Conservative Party’s leadership election can be found online here.
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