Liberal leadership conventions
The first three leaders of the Liberal Party of Canada were not chosen at a convention. Alexander Mackenzie (March 1873 - April 1880) and Edward Blake (May 1880 - June 1887) were chosen by the party caucus. Wilfrid Laurier (June 1887 - February 1919) was also chosen by caucus members with the party convention of 1893 ratifying his leadership.The first Liberal leadership convention was held on August 7, 1919. Balloting continued until one candidate won a majority of votes. After the 1919 convention a system was adopted where the candidate with the least number of votes on a given ballot is automatically dropped. More recently any candidate with less than 5% of the vote on the first ballot is also automatically dropped. Since 1919 time has also been given between ballots for candidates to announce if they wish to withdraw and thow their support to another candidate.
1919 Leadership Convention Results
Held in Ottawa, Ontario on August 7, 1919
First Ballot
KING, William Lyon Mackenzie 344ÃÂ
FIELDING, William Stevens 297ÃÂ
GRAHAM, George Perry 153ÃÂ
MCKENZIE, Daniel Duncan 153ÃÂ
Total Votes Cast 947
Second Ballot
KING, William Lyon Mackenzie 411ÃÂ
FIELDING, William Stevens 344ÃÂ
GRAHAM, George Perry 124ÃÂ
MCKENZIE, Daniel Duncan 60ÃÂ
Total Votes Cast 939
Graham withdrew while voting for the third ballot was underway while McKenzie withdrew while voting for the fourth ballot was in process. Votes were not counted and the convention proceeded directly to the fifth ballot.
Fifth Ballot
KING, William Lyon Mackenzie 476ÃÂ
FIELDING, William Stevens 438ÃÂ
Total Votes Cast 914
1948 Leadership Convention Results
Held in Ottawa, Ontario on August 7, 1948
First Ballot
ST. LAURENT, Louis Stephen 848ÃÂ
GARDINER, James Garfield 323
POWER, Charles Gavan 56ÃÂ
Total Votes Cast 1227
1958 Leadership Convention Results
Held in Ottawa, Ontario on January 16, 1958
First Ballot
PEARSON, Lester Bowles 1074ÃÂ
MARTIN, Paul Joseph James 305ÃÂ
HENDERSON, Harold Lloyd 1ÃÂ
Total Votes Cast 1380
1968 Leadership Convention Results
Held in Ottawa, Ontario on April 6, 1958
First Ballot
TRUDEAU, Pierre Elliott 752
HELLYER, Paul Theodore 330
WINTERS, Robert Henry 293
MARTIN, Paul Joseph James 277ÃÂ
TURNER, John Napier 277
GREENE, John James 169
MACEACHEN, Allan Joseph 163ÃÂ
KIERANS, Eric William 103ÃÂ
HENDERSON, Harold Lloyd ÃÂ 0
Spoiled Ballots 24ÃÂ
Total Votes Cast 2390
(Interestingly, Henderson was not himself a registered delegate, but his wife was.)
Second Ballot
TRUDEAU, Pierre Elliott 964
WINTERS, Robert Henry 473
HELLYER, Paul Theodore 465
TURNER, John Napier 347
GREENE, John James 104
MACEACHEN, Allan Joseph 11ÃÂ
Spoiled Ballots 15ÃÂ
Total Votes Cast 2379
MacEachan announced after the first ballot that he was withdrawing and would support Trudeau but he missed the deadline to remove his name from the ballot.
Third Ballot
TRUDEAU, Pierre Elliott 1051
WINTERS, Robert Henry 621
HELLYER, Paul Theodore 377
TURNER, John Napier 279
GREENE, John James 29
Spoiled Ballots 19ÃÂ
Total Votes Cast 2376
Fourth Ballot
TRUDEAU, Pierre Elliott 1203
WINTERS, Robert Henry 954
TURNER, John Napier 195
Spoiled Ballots 13ÃÂ
Total Votes Cast 2365
1984 Leadership Convention Results
Held in Ottawa, Ontario on June 16, 1984
First Ballot
TURNER, John Napier 1593
CHRÃÂTIEN, Jean Joseph Jacques 1067
JOHNSTON, Donald James 278ÃÂ
ROBERTS, John (Moody) 185
MACGUIGAN, Mark R 135ÃÂ
MUNRO, John Carr 93ÃÂ
WHELAN, Eugene Francis 84ÃÂ
Spoiled Ballots 2ÃÂ
Total Votes Cast 3437
Second Ballot
TURNER, John Napier 1862
CHRÃÂTIEN, Jean Joseph Jacques 1398
JOHNSTON, Donald James 192ÃÂ
Spoiled Ballots 1ÃÂ
Total Votes Cast 3423
1990 Leadership Convention Results
Held in Calgary, Alberta on June 23, 1990
First Ballot
CHRÃÂTIEN, Jean Joseph Jacques 2652
MARTIN, Paul Edgar Philippe 1176ÃÂ
COPPS, Sheila Maureen 499ÃÂ
WAPPEL, Thomas (Tom) William 267ÃÂ
NUNZIATA, John V 64ÃÂ
Spoiled Ballots 10ÃÂ
Total Votes Cast 4668
2003 Liberal Party of Canada leadership race
Held in Toronto, Ontario on November 14, 2003
First Ballot
MARTIN, Paul Edgar Philippe 3242ÃÂ
COPPS, Sheila Maureen 211ÃÂ
Spoiled Ballots 2ÃÂ
Total Votes Cast 3455
Source: Parliament of Canada website