NDP leadership race goes online

OTTAWA — Think of it as a typical political leadership convention, with candidates jostling for support in a series of ballots – except without any actual gathering of delegates and with the voting taking place largely online.

That is the format the federal New Democrats will use to pick a replacement for the outgoing Tom Mulcair.

But first they’ll need candidates. So far, only British Columbia MP Peter Julian has declared he wants the job after officially entering the race Feb. 12.

The party announced Friday that balloting in the leadership contest will begin Sept. 18, the day after a “showcase” event featuring all of the candidates.

New Democrats hope the format helps to capture some of the drama of a traditional convention, even though party faithful will pick a successor to Mulcair through a mainly online voting process which could stretch over weeks.

Votes can also be cast by mail.

“The idea here is that we’re preserving the one member, one vote democracy, where all of our members will have the chance to cast a ballot for the new leader,” said Rick Devereux, the party’s director of leadership.

“But we’re bringing back the excitement of the balloted, delegated convention of the past.”

Results of the first round of voting are to be announced Oct. 1.

Subsequent rounds, if needed, are scheduled each week thereafter until one candidate receives more than half the votes, with a possible fifth round result by Oct. 29.

Candidates knocked off the ballot after each round will be able to endorse any of the other remaining candidates. At that point party members will have the chance to change their votes to another contender.

A series of debates throughout the spring and summer will build up to the showcase event in Toronto where candidates can give speeches, play videos, enlist performers or do anything else they think could attract votes.