Progressive Conservative leadership election, 1976

Progressive Conservative leadership election, 1976
Date February 22, 1976
Convention Ottawa Civic Centre,
Ottawa, Ontario
Resigning leader Robert Stanfield
Won by Joe Clark
Ballots 4
Candidates 11
Entrance Fee C$?
Spending limit None

The 1976 Progressive Conservative leadership election was held at the Ottawa Civic Centre in Ottawa on February 22, 1976,[1] to elect a leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada to replace Robert Stanfield, who had resigned after losing the 1968, 1972, and 1974 elections. It unexpectedly elected a 36-year-old, little-known PC Member of Parliament from Alberta as the party's new leader. Joe Clark defeated Claude Wagner on the fourth ballot of the convention by a margin of 65 votes.[1]

The convention's delegates were elected by the party's riding associations, along with the party's youth, campus and women's associations. There were also numerous ex officio delegates, including PC Members of Parliament, defeated candidates from the previous election, members of provincial legislatures, members of the party's national executive and the executives of provincial parties affiliated to the federal party. Delegates cast secret ballots, so their votes were not "tied" to any candidate. After each ballot, the candidate winning the fewest votes was removed from the ballot for the next round. Several candidates withdrew voluntarily when it became clear that they would not be able to win.

Candidates

Richard Quittenton, president of St. Clair College in Windsor, had also been a candidate but withdrew before the first ballot and endorsed Wagner.[2]

Results

Delegate support by ballot
Candidate 1st ballot 2nd ballot 3rd ballot 4th ballot
Votes cast % Votes cast % Votes cast % Votes cast %
WAGNER, Claude 531 22.5% 667 28.5% 1,003 42.8% 1,122 48.6%
MULRONEY, Martin Brian 357 15.1% 419 17.9% 369 15.8% Did not endorse
CLARK, Charles Joseph (Joe) 277 11.7% 532 22.8% 969 41.4% 1,187 51.4%
HORNER, John Henry (Jack) 235 10.0% 286 12.2% Endorsed Wagner[1]
MACDONALD, Flora Isabel 214 9.1% 239 10.2% Endorsed Clark[1]
HELLYER, Paul Theodore 231 9.8% 118 5.1% Endorsed Wagner[1]
STEVENS, Sinclair McKnight 182 7.7% Endorsed Clark[1]
FRASER, John Allen 127 5.4% 34 1.5% Endorsed Clark[1]
GILLIES, James McPhail 87 3.7% Endorsed Clark[1]
NOWLAN, John Patrick (Pat) 86 3.6% 42 1.8% Endorsed Wagner[1][2]
GRAFFTEY, William Heward 33 1.4% Endorsed Clark[1]
Total 2,360 100.0% 2,337 100.0% 2,341 100.0% 2,309 100.0%

Clark placed a surprisingly strong third on the first ballot. As other Red Tory candidates withdrew, Red Tories rallied behind Clark, pushing him into first place only on the fourth ballot of the convention.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Albertan wins by 65 votes". Globe and Mail. 23 February 1976.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Clark signs sprang up like daisies: Once-favored Mulroney out on third ballot, refused to tell backers whom to support". Globe and Mail. 23 February 1976.

See also

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